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A SONG AND A PRAYER |
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MORNING MANNA FOR 2010
 MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 31, 2010 THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS! Matthew 19:26 (KJV) 26 But Jesus beheld them,
and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Well, today is the last day of this year and tomorrow we will be ushering in a New Year! For
many, this has been a year of trials and hardships. Loss of jobs. Home foreclosures. Illness. Loss
of loved ones to death or divorce. Emotional turmoil. Certainly always news of nations fighting against nations.
Then there have been great natural disasters. The list is endless but not as endless as the list of possibilities we
can take with us into the New Year! Some of us (like me) may have been a little lax in our faith this year and taken
the financial advisor's report as the final report. Or, maybe some have taken the doctor's report as the final report.
I know this, but I don't always bring it to mind quickly and, more importantly, put it into practice! God's report
is the final report!! God's plans for us who believe are good. (Jeremiah 29:11) As we end this year, let's try to put the past behind us (including any negative thoughts about what might
happen). We are told to forget the past (successes and failures) and press on toward the future. With
God, our future is filled with endless possibilities. If we were doing it on our own, life would be futile and so
many things would be totally impossible. But, as Jesus said, "...with God all things are possible."
There are some who struggle with fertility problems. Remember Rachel! (Genesis 30:22) God did the impossible and opened her womb. Both Matthew and Luke (Luke 18:27) record Jesus saying, "....with God all things are possible." In Matthew 17:20, Jesus talked about having faith as small as a grain of mustard seed. With this much faith in God, He said that nothing
would be impossible for us! Even in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is recorded as having said, "....with God all things
are possible." (Mark 10:27) Do you really think that God wants us to get the picture that most everything is impossible for us to do in our
own puny intelligence and strength? I do. And, I think He also wants us to really get the picture that when He
works in and through us, nothing will be impossible. (Luke 1:37) All things will be possible! Do you ever think you might have missed your opportunity in life to
do what the Lord has asked of you? Maybe you think you're too old! Remember Abraham and Sarah! Sarah was
ninety years old and Abraham was one hundred years old when they finally received the promise God had given them!
(Genesis 18:14) Why? Because nothing is too hard for the Lord! There is nothing that is impossible for Him to do in
and for us! God tells us that He is the God of all flesh (that's you and me). Then He asks the rhetorical question,
"Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27) Naturally, He knows the answer to His own question and so should we! Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too hard
for God! He does His best work when things look too hard, impossible, and even hopeless for us! There are promises
throughout His Word for those who trust and believe in Him. There are also promises (of the worst kind) for those
who refuse to believe. So, if you have not yet trusted Jesus as your own Savior and Lord of your life, receive Him
now on this last day of the year and start out your New Year with His endless possibilities. He has promised that,
His Word will always accomplish what He sends it to do! Believe it, receive it, and know that it will prosper where
He sends it. (Isaiah 55:11) If you are reading this, He is sending it to you right now! If you are reading this, He has brought you
through one more year and that is something for which to be thankful. Think back, though, and see how He has brought
you through. Could you have been a little less stressed if you had remembered during those difficult times that all
things are possible with God? In the coming year, do you think you could do better at remembering that it is a New
Year filled with God's endless possibilities? I know I have room for improvement! So, why not start today
and head into the New Year with a heart and mind full of the endless and glorious possibilities that God has for us? Mark 9:23-24 (KJV) 23 Jesus said unto
him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And
straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Dear Father, So many times I am like
the man that cried out to you in tears. So many times, I have had to say, "Lord, I believe but help my unbelief."
I know that all things are possible with You. I know that nothing is too hard for You. I know that nothing
is impossible for You. Why do I sometimes doubt and magnify my problems instead of magnifying You?
Please forgive me and let me put this past year in the past with thanksgiving and go forward pressing on to know and act
on the fact that, because You love me and live in me, all things are possible and nothing is impossible. Thank you
for the joy of going into the New Year with the thought of endless possibilities because You are the God of possibilities! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 30, 2010 REMAINING CONFIDENT Philippians 1:6 (KJV) 6 Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Many years ago, when I joined a church in a new
city to which we had moved, the pastor spoke Philippians 1:6 over me and it became one of my life's verses. Philippians 1:6 was a verse that Paul was writing to the believers in Philippi because they were faithful in the ministry of
the gospel. Paul was confident that God had begun a good work in the Philippian believers and that He would
keep that work alive and growing until the day of Jesus Christ. Of course, I was excited to have this verse spoken
over me by my new pastor! However, I have to admit that there have been times since that day that I didn't feel
so confident! Have you ever had days like that? Days when you just don't understand the circumstances in which
you find yourself and then you find yourself questioning the Lord as to what it is He really wants you to do?
You may have been a believer for a long time and you know that God has worked in and through you; but somehow the enemy
comes against you and your confidence gets a bit shaky. I guess that's probably how Peter felt when the Lord told him
to get out of the boat on that stormy night and walk on the water! (Matthew 14:22-33) At first, Peter was excited that Jesus had told him he could walk out there on the water. Jesus certainly had
faith that Peter could do it. But, Peter had not really thought about the practicality of such an adventure.
He stepped out of the boat confidently but then he made a grave mistake. He looked at the circumstances instead of
keeping his eyes fixed on the only One who could give him the power to walk on top of those circumstances with confidence.
The waves were wild and the wind blew. All of a sudden the problems seemed to overshadow Peter's confidence and faith.
Have you ever had that happen to you? You started out strong but then doubts crept in, or things got boring, or there
were attacks from the enemy, or maybe you even took your eyes off of Jesus and magnified your circumstances instead.
I have done all of those things at one time or another. In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he spoke of his confidence
that the good work that God had started in them would be completed in them. I wonder if they always felt
so confident! Nevertheless, confidence is not a feeling. It is a knowing. It is
believing. It's an inward certainty. A trust in God. It's a yielding to
the faith that God has in us because He is doing the work in us! To be confident is to be, "fully persuaded."
We may not always feel like God is developing, perfecting and bringing to full completion, that work He started in us; but,
we've got to be fully persuaded that He is because that's what He is telling us in the scriptures. The writer of Hebrews
uses another Greek word that is translated, "confidence." Here he is saying that we must not throw
away our confidence because it will yield a great reward. But, in order to hang on to such confidence (or
boldness) that we have in God, we need patience. During those times when we don't feel so confident, we need
to patiently wait on the Lord knowing that, after we have done the work He is doing in us, we will receive the promise!
(Isaiah 40:31) So, if you are going through a time of feeling less than confident, look up and cheer up! Don't fling that
confidence away because it is in God and He cannot fail! He will complete the work He started in you because
He is God and He never fails to complete His projects and plans! His plans for you, as a believer, are good!
Be patient! Whatever God has started in you, He's going to perform it right up to the end and you are going
to receive the reward and all the promises of God! PRAYER FOCUS
FOR TODAY: Father, I have to admit that sometimes, when I look at the circumstances around me, I am tempted
to lose confidence in Your promise that You will complete the good work that You started in me. Of course, it
is at those times that I am counting on my own understanding, looking at circumstances, and not putting my full trust
in you. Please forgive me for those lapses in confidence. Help me to patiently watch, wait and obey You in all
that I do. Thank you that I can know that all things are possible with You. Thank You that Jesus is my strength
even in situations that seem impossible. Thank You for the rewards and promises associated with remaining confident
in You. Thank You that Your Word does not return void. It will accomplish what You have sent it to do and I can
remain fully persuaded that because You are doing the work in and through me, it will surely be completed! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 29, 2010 WHAT WILL IT BE? 3 John 1:134 (KJV) 13
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: You know, we meet so many people on our life's journey.
Some stay in our lives for a long time and we see them face to face often. Others stay in our lives for a long time
and have great influence on us, but because of the mobility of society today, we rarely ever see them. I spent over
twenty years with a wonderful Christian lady serving in music ministry with her. She showed up to play the piano,
no matter how she felt. She showed up when there was sickness in her family and even death in her family. She served
in many other areas too! I wish I could say that I was half as faithful as that! Yesterday, at about noon, the
Lord called Helen home. I have a feeling that she heard those words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," as Jesus took her in His arms and gave her His ultimate healing. I know that her faithfulness, despite
many hardships, had a great effect on me. Not only did she use her musical gift for the Lord, but she encouraged me
to use mine and would many times find places for me to sing to the Lord's people. She made a lasting difference in
my life! I have not seen her for a very long time but, like John wrote about Demetrius and Gaius, I have heard from
others of her testimony of faithfulness to the Lord. I'm sure that, if I would have seen her, she would have had lots
and lots to tell me and I would have had lots to say to her too! We kept in touch at Christmas and other occasions
but, of course, you really can't say all you want to say in one small card! However, one day, I will see her face
to face again and we will have eternity to play and sing for the Lord, rejoicing in all He did for us. He will tell
us everything, as we see Him face to face. We will have all the time we need to speak to one another and to Him, face
to face. No need for, as John says, "pen and ink!" John was planning a trip to see Gaius and others
in the area and was anxious to speak to them face to face. He wanted to personally greet all the believers, looking
straight into their eyes. But, you know, one day we will each take a Heavenly trip, if we have received Jesus as our
Lord and Savior. This is the trip Helen took yesterday. Then we will see Jesus, face to face! We will
greet mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, and all of our other relatives and friends that have
gone before us. We will greet them by name, face to face. Best of all we will see Jesus. Face to face!
As the old hymn says, "Face to face with Christ my Savior. Face to face, what will it be? When with
rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ, who died for me!" Helen played that hymn so many times in church services so
others could sing the words and ponder on what it would be like to be face to face with Jesus and others who have gone
before. She is not wondering any more! And, one day you and I will not wonder any more either. We will
see Him and each other face to face and have eternity to rejoice over His goodness and care for us! (1 Corinthians 13:12) 3 John 1:4 (KJV) 4 But I trust I shall shortly see thee,
and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
thank You so much that one day I will see You face to face! Lord, I do pray fervently that all my children,
all of their children, and theirs and on forever, will receive You as their Lord and Savior so that we may all meet again
one day face to face with each other and with You to be together forever. I pray that everyone I meet in life will
see something of You in me and will want You to be their Savior too! Thank you for Helen's life and for the lives of
all the others who have gone before me. For all those who have helped me on, with their testimony and example,
through the many trials of this life. Thank You that You have plans for us throughout eternity that are more than we
can ask or believe. Thank you that we cannot even begin to imagine the things You have prepared for us! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 28, 2010 FOLLOW THE GOOD 3 John 1:11 (KJV) 11 Beloved, follow
not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. We've probably all encountered people who
go about doing good. But, unfortunately, we've all probably encountered those who don't do good. Some people
know all the right words and phrases and, yet their lives do not show the fruit of righteousness. The Apostle, John,
has given some examples of each of these types of people. He is writing to Gaius, here, who is a wonderful
example of hospitality and care. Then he talks about Diotrephes who is a self-centered, egotistical person that will
not even listen to anything John has to say. Diotrephes seems to think of no one but himself. (3 John 1:9) Thankfully, John uses two good examples to one bad example because he goes on to speak of Demetrius, who has a great
reputation concerning having the truth within himself and living it out. (3 John 1:12) As we read of the trials that John had and of those who blessed his life, by following closely the truths of Jesus,
John lets us know that we should follow the good. It's raw human nature to be like Diotrephes, wanting everything our
own way and thinking that we know it all. But, that is evil. That is not the person who has been made new
by being found in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17) In fact, John plainly tells us that anyone who constantly does evil does not know God. In one version
of the scripture, it says that those who do good prove that they are God's children and those who do evil
prove that they do not know God! I guess you could use that old phrase here, "The proof is in the
pudding." What do our lives look like? Is the pudding sweet or is it spoiled? Are we like Gaius and
Demetrius? Or, are we like Diotrephes? As John says, "Beloved, follow not that which is evil."
Another version says not to let the bad example of Diotrephes influence us. Even within our own selves, there is that,
"old man," who sometimes tries to rise up and make a, "Diotrephes," out of us; but we must constantly
renew our minds so that we are transformed to the image of Christ, who went about doing good! (Romans 12:2, Acts 10:38) This way we will prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. Both in our own minds and in
dealing with those around us, we must follow the good, overcoming evil with good. Praise God, we can do this through Christ,
who strengthens us! (Philippians 4:13) Romans 12:21 (AMP) 21 Do
not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, thank You for John's examples of good
and evil ways of being. Please help me to follow the good! Let me constantly be aware of the, "old man,"
that would try to rise up in me. Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy! Help me to overcome evil with good;
the good that is in Your word that transforms me from the inside out, destroying the remnants of the old creature that
I was. Help me to overcome evil with good when I am tempted and tried by those around me who don't show the best
fruits or have the best attitudes! Please give me discernment in all situations and help me to follow the good! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 27, 2010 DON'T BE A DIOTREPHES! 3 John 1:9-10 (KJV) 9
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Have you ever met anyone who always had to
be first? How about those people in life who cut you off on the road just so they can be one car ahead of you?
Or, the ones who cut in front of a whole line of people at a check stand at the grocery store? Why do people do that?
My guess would be pride and selfishness. Maybe they think that what they have to do in life far surpasses the importance
of the plans and purposes of anyone else. Well, as John was writing to his dear friend, Gaius, he encouraged him because
Gaius was hospitable and seemed to have a, "servant attitude." On the contrary, later on in 3 John 9-10, John mentions someone by the name of Diotrephes. His name actually means, "nourished by Jupiter." The
Strong's Dictionary says that his name was a combination of Zeus, the supreme Greek God, and nourishment.
It does seem that Diotrephes did have a superiority complex! He always had to be the, "top dog." It
would appear that he had not heard, or at least not been able to practice the teaching of Jesus concerning the fact that
the one who is greatest among us (believers) would be a servant. (Matthew 23:11) Diotrephes seemed to know nothing about servant-leadership. He always had to put himself in the lead.
He did not recognize John's authority at all and he even refused to listen to John or take any suggestions from him.
Have you ever met someone like that? They certainly do not make pleasant company and they are almost impossible
to work with, always having to have the control in every situation. While John is contrasting the behavior of Diotrephes
with the hospitable, selfless attitude of Gaius, we can take a lesson from what he is saying. Certainly,
we can check our own hearts to see whether we have a, "Gaius" attitude or a, "Diotrephes"
attitude. If we find any symptoms of the latter, we need to repent and begin exhibiting the attitude of a servant
rather than one who has no respect for authority and puts down others. Diotrephes was so bad and so much in contrast
to the lifestyle of Gaius that, instead of taking in traveling teachers and laborers for the Lord, he would put
them out of his, "church." If anyone in his church offered to show hospitality to those traveling
for the Lord, Diotrephes would try to stop them from doing it! Even worse yet, he spread rumors about John. Vicious
rumors! John was planning to visit that area and, while there, he was going to set things straight about the untruths
that Diotrephes had been spreading. But, in the meantime, the lesson for us might be to first check ourselves for
a, "Diotrephes ' attitude. Secondly, we surely want to use discernment when we place ourselves in a, "church,"
where the leadership wants total control and shows a less than hospitable attitude toward other laborers for the Lord.
There will come a day when we will all be set straight! Not by John, but by Jesus, when the final judgment day comes. That's
why I'm saying, "Don't be a Diotrephes!" 3 John 10 0 Wherefore,
if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
please keep me from having a, "Diotrephes," attitude. Help me to have discernment about where I serve and
about what sort of leadership I come under. Please help all who say they are leaders in Your Church be servant-leaders,
just as You said. Today, there is such a, "me-first," attitude in the world which the enemy has tried
to bring into Your Church. Help us all to remember that, no matter what our role is in Your Kingdom and no
matter what sign hangs over the door of the place in which we worship, we all belong to You and we are all parts of Your
body which was made to work together without any one part taking the preeminence. Thank You that You are
the Head. Let Your Kingdom come on earth without any division or selfish ambition among any of it's citizens! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 26, 2010 THE GIFT OF HOSPITALITY 3 John 1:5 (KJV) 5 Beloved,
thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Do you have the gift of hospitality? It seems that the Apostle, John's friend, did have that gift.
Gaius seemed to be very concerned with, and helpful to, the traveling teachers. Many of these people were strangers
to Gaius, yet he cared for them as they passed through and taught the ways of the Lord. I imagine these travelers
got very weary and were very appreciative of such care, and maybe they were even amazed that Gaius would take in
and care for them even though they were perfect strangers! Today, lots of believers take in missionaries or traveling
evangelists and ministers. I have a wonderful friend who has that gift. She and her husband have housed whole
families of missionaries, making them very comfortable and offering a respite for them as they come home on leave for refreshment.
Gaius must have had that gift because after these travelers left his home, they told about how Gaius lovingly cared for
them. Although Gaius was caring for the physical needs of the travelers, he was essentially being faithful to God.
This created a testimony to the lovingkindness of God which flowed so freely through Gaius and many others in the churches
heard about it! (3 John 1:6) It is encouraging and challenging to us when we hear about how others serve the Lord. John encouraged Gaius
to continue to provide for these traveling teachers in a way that pleased God. Not only was Gaius helping God's people,
he was also a blessing to God in his selfless actions! We have also done this from time to time and we never fail
to receive a blessing from getting to know those who travel around the world ministering the Word of God. If you
have never done that, and you have the means to do it, you might want to think about opening your home if the opportunity
should arise. John mentioned that these, "travelers for the Lord," would accept nothing from people who were
not believers. The Kingdom of God is not a good mix with the kingdoms of this world. The motives of the
world are not always pure and when a believer gets mixed up with receiving gifts from the little kingdoms of this
world, there may be a temptation to water down or corrupt the true message of God. That is one reason why we,
as believers, should exercise the gift of hospitality to those traveling for the Lord. That way, they will not
be under any pressure or temptation to change the message that has come from God. The message of God is always the
pure truth. When we open our homes and hearts to the needs of those preaching the truth of Christ, we become partners
in the teaching of the truth. Although our own motives should be those of love, because God is who He is, we, too,
will receive a reward for the work being done by those who teach the pure Word! (Matthew 10:41-42) So, I encourage you, in the Name of the Lord, the next time God gives you the opportunity, do what you can to help
those who labor in the ministry of the Word! 3 John 1:8 (KJV) 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we
might be fellowhelpers to the truth. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, thank You for the times You have given us the opportunity
to help Your laborers as they travel. Bless all those who leave the comforts of their own homes and travel to
take Your Word to whom You direct them. Help me to always be aware of their needs and share whatever I might
have to help them on their way. Keep them from the temptation of taking things from manipulative people of the world who
want to tempt them to change Your message by trying to, "buy," these, Your laborers. Keep Your
message pure in their hearts and put it on the hearts of those who believe in You to do everything we can to meet their
needs, even over and above their expectations, just as You do for us! Bring out the, "Gaius," the gift of
hospitality in me! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 25, 2010 CHRIST IS BORN! Luke 2:8-14 (NLT) 8
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. What were you doing last evening? Working? Partying? Wrapping presents? One night,
long ago, shepherds (the lowliest of the low in society) were doing the same old, same old. Guarding their sheep
in the fields. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among
them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, God
is so very good! There are many, "suddenly's" in the scripture where He steps in unexpectedly and shows
Himself to be powerful and loving! Angels are real and they do appear to men. We might think one would have to
be an acclaimed preacher or evangelist but God will send His angels to whom He will. This time is was to lowly shepherds!
They were terror-stricken! 10 but the angel
reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to
all people. Angels are majestically powerful and just the sight of them would strike
fear in anyone but I really doubt that these shepherds thought themselves worthy of an angelic visit. If anything,
they may have thought that they might be punished. After all, society looked down on them - why not God? But
the angel did not come to judge them. He came to bring good news that would affect people forever. He
brought joy - not fear. Not just to the shepherds, but to you and me too, no matter what our station is in life!
Just what was that good news? 11 The
Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Oh my, the first to know that the Savior of the world was born were the shepherds who were just doing what they
always did! The ones who watched sheep for a living would find the Good Shepherd, the baby Lamb of God, lying in,
of all things, a manger! 12 And you will
recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” As if that wasn't enough, there was another suddenly! A great army of angels from Heaven surrounded
the shepherds! They heard the angelic music from Heaven as the host of angels praised God! 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the
armies of heaven—praising God and saying, What were the angels singing about?
They were singing glory to God and they were singing of peace on earth. Some translations of the scriptures do not
add the end that the New Living Translation adds, "to those with whom God is pleased." But, with whom is
God pleased? He is pleased with those who will let Him break into their lives with the Heavenly message that a Savior
is born. He is pleased with those who will receive His Son and, in so doing, receive eternal life! These are
the ones who will experience God's peace that passes all human understanding. These are the ones who will be the real
peacemakers in this world and receive an eternal reward for so doing!14 “Glory
to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” This morning, what are we doing? Focusing on material presents when God desires to let us experience the presence
of His Son? Have we received the greatest Gift of all? The gift of Jesus and His forgiveness of our sins?
It is true. That night that the shepherds received the divine interruption of the angels announcing the birth of Christ,
Christ was born and they obediently went, as the angels said, and found the Baby Jesus lying in a manger.
A lot has happened since then. Jesus is no longer a baby. He has lived for us as a man, dyed for us as a Savior,
rose for us as a victorious Lord and is coming again as King of Kings! Today, you and I have the option of concentrating
on decorations and dinner. We can concentrate on material gifts. Or, we can receive and worship the greatest
Gift ever given and sing with the angels, "Glory to God in the highest......." What will be our choice?
PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father, thank
You for sending Your only Son, Christ Jesus, for me! Just as there was no room in the inn for Him the night He was
born, so today, there is not much room for Him either in this world that He has made. As the Christmas hymn says, my
prayer is this: "Oh come to my heart, Lord Jesus. There is room in my heart for You." Thank
You that no earthly present compares with the present of Your presence! "I love You Lord, and I lift my voice
to worship You," singing, "Glory to God in the Highest." Let there be peace on earth that comes from
the Prince of Peace and let it begin with me! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 24, 2010 TRUTH, TRUTH, TRUTH! 3 John 1:3 (KJV) 3 For I rejoiced
greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. When was the last time you turned on the news and heard some, "good news?"
Very rarely do we hear something good when we check out the daily news. Lots of what we hear is untruth or, "spun
truth," instead of the real truth! Well, the Apostle, John, got really excited and he rejoiced, even rejoiced
greatly, when some of the brethren would come to him with the good news about John's friend, Gaius. In just two verses
(3 John 1:3-4), John used the word, "truth," three times! This news over which John so greatly rejoiced was that
Gaius had the truth in his heart and he walked in it! As we have heard time and again, Jesus is the Truth!
(John 14:6) Gaius had obviously received Jesus and was walking in the way Jesus walked! Gaius was walking in the Way.
Jesus is not only the Truth, He is the Way! Psalm 86:11 is a plea from the psalmist for the Lord to teach him His way and a declaration that the psalmist will walk
in God's Truth. There, even in the Old Testament we see a glimpse of Jesus, the Truth and the Way! Walking in
darkness is obviously just the opposite of what we, as believers are to do. (1 John 1:6) We can say we have fellowship with Jesus but that is only giving lip-service if we walk in darkness instead of walking
in the truth. What a blessing John had that he was able to rejoice in the fact that Gaius not only had the truth in
him, but also walked it out in such a way that those around him spoke very highly of him when they reported to John.
Oftentimes, John considered those to whom he ministered his, "children." Of course they were his spiritual
children. I know, from experience, that it is heart-breaking to have your biological children become rebellious and turn
from walking in the truth; but, it is just as heart-breaking when your spiritual children become disobedient! The greatest
news a parent can receive is that their children are walking in the truth. The Apostle, Paul also spoke about ministering
in truth. (2 Corinthians 4:1-2) Saying we are walking in truth is totally different that actually walking in truth! (Matthew 15:7-9) It is hypocrisy and vanity to say we have the truth in us but walk in darkness. Perhaps John and Paul
encountered some of these people and, if they did, I imagine it was very frustrating and sad for them when they were doing
their best to preach, teach, and walk in the truth. But, in the case of Gaius, John's friend to whom he wrote 3 John,
John had reason to greatly rejoice! Do you have friends that constantly uplift you and nudge you on to higher
levels of love and joy in Jesus? This is cause for great rejoicing. And, if you have biological and/or spiritual
children to whom you have ministered, I know your joy is overflowing when you see them walking in the truth! It
was not easy for the early apostles and many times it's not easy for us either. How wonderful when we get good reports that
our, "children," are walking in the truth! Perhaps you, like John, have no greater joy than to
hear that your children walk in truth! I know that is the case for me. My greatest desire is that my children
know and walk in The Truth! 1 John 1:4 4 I have
no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. PRAYER FOCUS
FOR TODAY: Lord, thank You for truth. Thank You that You are the Truth! Thank You
for children, both biological and spiritual. Thank You for leading my children to know You more and more and to walk
more and more in You who are the Way! It is very true for me that, like John, I have no greater joy than to know that
my children walk in truth! That is my prayer for them Lord. That is my prayer for myself today and always too.
Please let me walk in the Truth and in the Way so that I might be a living example for them to follow! Thank
you that this is possible because, with You, all things are possible! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 23, 2010 THE BLESSINGS OF FRIENDSHIP AND HEALTH 3 John 1:1 (KJV) The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius,
whom I love in the truth. As we know, the Apostle, John, was a true man of God. A true elder in the early church. A man who cared
deeply for the believers in Christ. But, to tell the truth, sometimes great men and women of God have very few close
friends. Many may love and respect them but, due to the time it takes to carry out their calling from the Lord and
sometimes because of the many people to whom they are called to minister, they have very little time for close friendships.
John loved and respected Gaius. He was obviously one of John's closer friends and when John says that he loves Gaius,
he uses a form of the word used for God's love for us. The unconditional kind of love that wants only the best for
the other even if it means a sacrifice on the part of the one giving the love. The name, Gaius, is seen three other
places in scripture and this may or may not have been the same Gaius to whom John has written 3 John. (Acts 19:29; 20:4; Rom. 16:23; 1Cor. 1:14 ) I think that Gaius was a true blessing to John and that, of course,
the relationship was mutual. I have many acquaintances but few people with whom I am really close. I pray
for all of my acquaintances but, since I have a few that I know better than others and we have that special bond of friendship
that only God can give, their names come up in prayer often. I feel like I feel what they feel.
When they are blessed, I am excited. When they grieve, I grieve too. Today I attended the funeral the son of
a very dear friend. I confess that I came home drained. My heart was with her heart. To lose a child is probably
the greatest sadness a mother can experience on earth. And yet, the Lord was with my friend and, as I held her close
at the end of the funeral, I felt His presence. I know, as she does, that her son loved the Lord and
that we will see him again one day where there is no more parting, no more sickness, no more temptation and sin, and no more
tears! As John wrote to his greatly loved friend, Gaius, he wished for him health and prosperity. John,
like Jesus, cared what happened to his friends, not just spiritually, but also for their earthly needs and their physical
health! I am so thankful to know that Jesus cared (and still cares) about all those things for us! While we
live in this body, we are a three-part being. Body, soul, and spirit. When these three are in unity, that is
true prosperity and health. John knew that if the soul (mind, will and emotions) of Gaius was well, his
body would be in health too. As believers, we know that our spirit is now whole but, as we walk this earth, we
pick up the germs of sin and of physical illness which we must fight off by keeping our minds renewed with God's Word.
The blessings of friendship and health can be ours and, as we thank God for the friends He has given us, we, like John,
can pray that they will prosper even as their soul prospers. That's what I pray for each of you reading this
today! God is able and He is willing. Praise Him for His gifts of friendship and health! Praise Him
for allowing us to agree with Him in prayer for these things to be manifested in the lives of our friends! 3 John 1:2 (KJV) 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even
as thy soul prospereth. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You, Father, for friendship and for health! Thank you that You are
a Friend that sticks closer than a brother and that your desire for us is that we prosper and be in health even as our
mind, will and emotions fall into line with Your Word. Thank You that You have allowed us the precious gift
of being able to pray for the friends You have given us and for their prosperity and health. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 22, 2010 FACE TO FACE 2 John 1:12 (KJV) 12 Having
many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face,
that our joy may be full. 2 John 1:13 (NLT) 13 Greetings from the children
of your sister, chosen by God. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I am so thankful for the men of old through whom you
breathed Your inspired Word by Your Holy Spirit! Thank You that it is the Living Word and that You give more
and more revelation as we read, meditate and seek Your Spirit for understanding. I admit I don't totally understand
who these elect women were but I thank You that those of us in Jesus are elect! Thank You for being the perfect
Father whose desire it is that all of Your children walk in the truth. Thank You for loving my children, both biological
and spiritual, so much that You have heard my prayers that they, too, will walk in the truth, in Your Son, Jesus, who is
the Truth! I bless your name and look forward to seeing You face to face one day and understanding it ALL! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 21, 2010 PARTNERS IN CRIME 2 John 1:10-11 (NLT) Hospitality is a God-given gift and it should
be demonstrated! There is even a scripture that tells us that we should not forget, neglect, or refuse to show hospitality
to strangers. The Amplified Bible adds that these strangers should be in the brotherhood of Christ and that we should allow
them into our home, sharing any comforts we might have in a friendly and gracious manner. We are told to do our
part generously and cordially. This is because some people have found that they were really entertaining angels without
really realizing it! My husband and I have taken many different people into our home. I will not say that
they all looked like angels (or acted like angels), however God has truly blessed us and some of those that stayed with us
were like angels! When those that definitely proved themselves not to be of the angelic nature, we had to put them
out. The Apostle, John, is telling us here to be sure that we do not let anyone who is not truly following Christ into
our meetings or homes (most of the local churches in John's time met in homes). The Apostle, Paul, quite agrees with
John in that we should watch out for, and stay away from, those who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching
things contrary to what was taught by the apostles then and written down in scripture for us. (Romans 16:17) There are those who are not really looking out for the interests of God's Kingdom but, instead,
for their own interests and the building of their own little personal kingdoms. (Romans 16:18) Many of them sound very convincing but then, so did Satan in the Garden of Eden. He's been
sounding that way ever since! Discernment on our part is essential so that we do not hesitate to operate in the
gift of hospitality, without inviting people in who cause division and confusion by going against the teachings
of scripture. Paul says in Romans 16:19, that he is sure that his audience is obedient in this way and encourages them to stay pure and innocent
of doing any wrong. That goes for us today too! He goes on to say, in Romans 16:20, that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet! There will be victory for those who keep
on obeying Jesus! God has not warned us for no reason that many deceivers have gone out into the world. (2 John 1:7) We can spot some of them a mile away, but others are more deceptive so it is left to us
to stay in the Word of God so that we can spot counterfeit teaching! Those of us who are believers want to be
encouragers! However, if someone comes into our inner circle and we see that they are not acknowledging Christ and
all that He was, is, and will be, unless they repent, we need to refrain from encouraging them or allowing them to
be a part of us. John is clear in his writing that anyone who encourages those that teach false doctrine and don't
acknowledge the fact that Jesus did come in the flesh becomes a partner in their evil work! Very scary since the
Lord also points out in scripture that light has no fellowship with the darkness! (2 Corinthians 6:14) Instead of being paranoid and always looking over our shoulder to see if someone is a
false teacher, let's turn it around to something positive. When people are learning to spot counterfeit money, they
are not shown counterfeit money. They are shown the real thing and taught to touch it, look at every detail in it,
probably even smell it, etc. When you and I constantly have our eyes on Jesus, spotting counterfeits will not be too
difficult. When we're constantly in the Word, reminding ourselves and others of the qualities and characteristics of
Jesus and His teachings, we will have more and more discernment about things that don't quite match up because we will be
well acquainted with the real Jesus. We want to be found being partners with our Lord and not with any evil
work! We can do that by sticking very close to Him and following His Word! That way we will not be found being
partners in crime with evil workers! 2 John 1:11 (KJV) 11 Anyone who
encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father, I want to show hospitality to others.
I want to be in agreement with those with whom I worship. Thank You that, although we all might not agree on things
that are not necessities of faith, but more our own preferences, we can agree on Jesus and everything we know about
Him from Your Word. Help me to know Him well enough to know when someone comes around like the proverbial man offering
an innocent child a piece of candy in order to draw the child away and cause harm. Help me to discern a stranger to
You from the one who truly loves you. Keep me from entering into the evil work of those who do not preach Christ born,
crucified, dead, buried, risen, and coming again! Keep me in Your Word and, more importantly, help me to
follow and carry out your Word! Let me be an encourager to those who really know You and help me not to encourage
or fellowship intimately with those who are preaching something contrary to who You are! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 20, 2010 WHY FOR? 2 John 1:7 (KJV) 7 For many deceivers
are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. If you just read the title of this morning's,
"Manna," you might think I have lost my mind or my vocabulary! Actually, I hope I have lost my
mind and exchanged it for the mind of Christ! (1 Corinthians 2:16) So, why did I say, "Why for?" Because I was kind of amazed myself when I read 2 John 1:7. Before today, I did not realize that John has talked about love and truth repeatedly but he is now
just getting around to saying why he has reminded us of these things perhaps more than we might have wanted to
read. He wanted us to get the principles of love and truth! Why for? "For many deceivers
are entered into the world......" These deceivers insist that Jesus has never come in the flesh. These
deceivers are antichrists! They are liars according to 1 John 2:22-23 . They can talk about God but, if they deny that Jesus is the Christ, they are liars and we know
that all liars come from their real father, the devil. (John 8:44) They do not really have our Father in Heaven. Only those who acknowledge and confess belief in the Son have
the Heavenly Father! Lots of people today are claiming to be prophets but 1 John 4:3 plainly says that, if they do not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, they are not from God. Not
only that, they have the spirit of the antichrist! You and I, if we have received Christ as our Lord and Savior,
know that He came to earth in a fleshly body, as a baby boy. He is and was the Word and He always will be the Word!
(John 1:14) We need to test those who say that they speak by the Spirit. Some speak by, "spirits,"
but those spirits are evil. God will help us discern whether someone speaks by His Spirit or another spirit!
How, and why for? The Truth lives in us! 2 John 1:8 gives us another, "why for." If we have been following Christ, we cannot become complaisant,
thinking that we are secure. We still have to watch out for the enemy who would just love to see us lose what
we have worked hard to achieve for the Lord and for His Kingdom. (1 Peter 5:8) God wants us to receive our full reward, but we have to be diligent and not let the enemy steal anything
from us! Love and truth have a great deal to do with our reward (and we all love rewards). Why for?
Here's a few scriptures for your study to encourage you to be diligent about not losing the rewards you have worked
so hard to receive. Matthew 10:42, Mark 10:29-30, 1 Corinthians 3:8, Hebrews 10:35-36, Hebrews 11:26. Have a good time looking into these so you will be encouraged to use truth and love to build
up more rewards and to keep those you already have. Why for? We will then have much to give back
to Jesus when we see Him face to face! Do we have God? If so, we will abide in the doctrine of Christ
which includes truth and love. If we do abide in these things, we will have overcome the evil one.
(Romans 12:21) So, some of the, "why for's," about hearing about love and truth over and over again is
so we can discern evil spirits from the Holy Spirit, keep the rewards we have earned and earn even more for the sake
of Christ and be sure that we acknowledge and abide in Christ so that both the Father and the Son abide in us! 2 John 1:9 (KJV) 9 Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath
both the Father and the Son. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I admit that I sometimes wonder why You repeat things over and over
again! Thank You that today, You gave me a, "why for!" Thank You for letting me see that Your
truth and love flowing through me will overcome evil and the evil one! Thank You that Your truth and love
in me will help me not to lose the rewards You have so graciously given me and that Your truth and love
will enable me to keep going, following in Your footsteps! I'm beginning to, "get it," I think but I know
that You have so much more to teach me in this area! Right now, I just want to thank You for reaching right to
where I am and assuring me that You, Father God, and You, my Savior Jesus, have me in Your hands and I have You in my heart! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 19, 2010 CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH 2 John 1:4 (KJV) 4
I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the
Father. If
you are a believer, and you have children (whether biological, spiritual or both), you can relate to what the Apostle, John,
is writing to the elect lady, whom he addresses in 2 John 1:1. It is every believing mother's heart's desire that her children walk in the truth. (3 John 1:4) Whether John was writing to a specific woman and her children or a figurative way of addressing the
church and it's members, Christian mother's worldwide can relate to this passage. There is probably nothing any
of us would not do to insure that our children are walking in the Truth (which is Jesus). John 14:6. And, our Father, God, has done all that He can to see that His children walk in the Truth too. He has sacrificed
His son for whoever will receive Him as Lord and Savior. (John 3:16) Have you accepted the Truth? Jesus left us His very own Spirit so that we could know the truth and
walk in it. He has enabled us to walk and worship in Spirit and in Truth! (John 4:24) We could never do that on our own! Without Spirit and Truth, we are pretty much doomed! Praise God,
He has given us the privilege to know, walk in, and worship in Spirit and Truth. However, John does not cease to remind
us again and again (this time in speaking to the, "elect lady and her children, that we should remember that we should
love one another. Whether speaking of our biological or spiritual families, we are called to love each other (which
means seeking the best for one another). (2 John 1:5) John knows that he has focused many times on love but he does not apologize for doing it. In fact, he says
that he is not writing a new commandment but, instead, is repeating one that we have had from the beginning! And yet,
once again, John explains what love is. Very simply it is obeying God's commandments (which are all centered on loving
Him and loving one another). (Mark 12:29-31) When John reminds us to walk in the commandment of loving one another, he is talking about our general way of living.
He is talking about occupying our time in the giving and receiving of love. He's speaking of whatever you and
I have as the essence of our life. Some of us still have to confess and allow God to rid us of some impurities
such as, anger, bitterness, pride, lust, greed, etc. If we are to walk in love, there can be no room in us for
the things just mentioned. We have heard about love from the very beginning of the scriptures. Now it's time
that we determine to walk in it. That's the only way the world will know that we are disciples of Christ! (John 13:35) Can the world spot us as disciples of Christ by our love for one another? 2 John 1:6 (KJV) 6 And
this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye
should walk in it. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY:
Lord, You remind us of how we should love You by obeying Your commandments so many times. You
remind us of how we should love one another so many times. You'd think we didn't get it! And, maybe we don't!
Thank You for Your love toward us that allows us to love You in Spirit and in Truth. Thank You that You are
love! Please let me look like, walk like, and worship in Spirit and in Truth and in Love! Please let the very
essence of my being be love that I have received from You and now give back to You and those in my home, as well
as those who cross my path. Thank You that, with You, all things are possible and that I will see all my children
walking in the Truth because that is my heart's desire and it is Your heart's desire too! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 18, 2010 SPEAKING OF LOVE AND TRUTH 2 John 1:1 (KJV) 1 The
elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the
truth; Don't you
love those verses that fall into the, "harder sayings of the Bible?" This very short epistle written by John
contains one of those sayings! John, who calls himself an elder, writes to, "the elect lady and her children."
Some versions of scripture have named this lady, "Cyria." However, most commentaries theorize that this is
not to an individual, but perhaps a local church (and the church at large, since you and I are now reading it in scripture).
Some say that this, "elect lady," to whom John writes is married because her children are mentioned. Some
say that, if this was an individual, she might have been a widow who took in visiting evangelists and supported their ministries.
Others say that she might have hosted a local church in her home. John also says that he, in addition to all those
who have known the truth are writing to this "lady and her children." Many years ago, in an evangelistic
meeting, someone passed me a note with 2 John 1-3 on it. It meant so much to me at the time because my children were having a difficult time of it; and so
was I. This note, sent at the unction of the Holy Spirit, gave me great encouragement! Every "lady,"
(true mother) wants her children to be walking in truth and love. In one commentary, it says the combination
of, "in truth and love," found in 2 John 1:3 is found nowhere else in the Bible. However, I think it is intimated in the way we are to speak to one
another. We are to speak the truth, but speak it in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16) John then gives us a reminder that the truth lives in us and He will be with us forever. (2 John 1:2) Jesus has already declared to us that He is the Truth. (John 14:6) The truth, if He be in us, will be with us forever! (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5) However, there are certain conditions to this promise (which there often are with other promises from God).
He does His part when we do our part. We need to be about our Father's business, teaching others about Him,
bringing them to Jesus, and making disciples. We also need to be content with what we have, fully trusting that if
God is with us, as He has promised if we are content, we will always have our needs met somehow. God is love.
(1 John 4:8) It is the truth that we know that will set us free! (John 8:32) Since Jesus is the Truth and God is love, Truth and Love go together perfectly to help us freely walk and speak
in love through this world. So now, I pray that the grace of God will be with you, along with mercy and peace.
May you walk out your life freely in Truth and Love. In Jesus and in Your Father. And, may it be
so for your children, both biological and spiritual! 2 John 1:3 (KJV) 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and
peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Oh, merciful and gracious Father, thank You
so much for caring for all Your children! Thank you for caring for our biological and spiritual children so much
that you had John write this letter to the, "elect lady." Thank You that I can consider myself to be
an elect lady and trust you that I, and my children, will walk in truth and love. Thank You for Your grace
and mercy and especially for Your peace that floods my very being! Please, never let me stray from the paths of truth
and love! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 17, 2010 UNDERSTANDING 1 John 5:18 (KJV) 18 We
know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth
him not. Because of Jesus, you and
I can have understanding. We can discern things about which others in the world will have no clue. The Apostle,
John, said that the early apostles absolutely knew that anyone who was born of God (had received Jesus as their Lord
and Savior) would not deliberately and knowingly, consistently practice committing sin. Today, because much of
the Church has not practiced reading and obeying the Word of God, praying, and worshipping God all during the week,
we may have become weak in discernment. The early apostles knew what was what! They also knew (and counted
on the fact) that Jesus carefully watches over and protects the person who has received salvation by believing in their heart
and confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord. The divine presence of Jesus in us, when we have invited Him in,
preserves us from evil. It is the presence of Jesus in us that will not allow the devil to get a grip on us or touch
us. There is another thing that the early apostles knew. They knew positively that they were of God.
We can know positively that we are of God too! By believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that Jesus is
Lord. (Romans 10:9) We also need to remember that, even though we are of God, those who are living without God in the world, are
under the power of Satan. Not a good place to be at all. So, because we are of God, we need to lift up those
in the world who have been deceived by the devil. We are here (as Jesus was) to set the captive free. (Luke 4:18-19) Of course, it is Jesus that sets people free but you and I (if we have received Him) have His Spirit within
us and He has given us power to proclaim His freedom to those in bondage to the evil one. The more we can take from
the camp of the enemy, the better! (1 John 5:19) You and I know that Jesus has come! He has given us understanding and insight in a progressive way so
that we might recognize Him more often in our life and have a clearer understanding of who He is. He is the Truth
and we who are in Him are of the Truth. Jesus is the true God and He is our eternal life! The more understanding
we have about the Lord, the more we will know that there is a great harvest in this world where the majority are trapped
by the devil. The more thankful we can be for Jesus and our eternal life. The more we can pray for the
lost to come into the Light. (1 John 5:20) No wonder the very last thing John tells us to do is to keep ourselves from idols! When understanding really
sets in, we will realize that no false god and no demon from Hell can supersede the power of the King of Kings and Lord
of Lords! One day every knee will bow to Jesus, all of the false gods and all of what is under the earth and
above the earth. As we pray for those who are lost, we need to check our own hearts for anything and everything that
would occupy God's place in our heart. For substitutions that might threaten to take first place in our lives.
Even for our own desire to sit on the God's throne in our heart. When we really understand these things, we will
be on our way to incredible growth and revelation from the Holy Spirit, with power to reach out to the lost and hurting
in this world! By the way, John calls us little children again when he speaks about keeping ourselves from idols.
Little children are easily swayed by anything that looks appealing. Let's remember that we are and always will be
God's little children no matter how wise we may think we are in this world! Let's determine to understand that we're
not above temptation and deception and thank God every day for His grace and love, pouring it out on everyone we meet. 1 John 5:21 (NLT) 21
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father,
thank You that I can know that I am in You! Thank You for reminding me that, although You are the focus of my life,
there are many lost in this world of wickedness. Help me to remember that, even though I am in You, Your work in my
understanding is a progressive work. I admit that I don't understand every detail about Your Word, or Your love,
or Your compassion, or anything else that comes from You. Increase my understanding and discernment and continue
to anoint me to set captives free from this world of evil and to bring healing to the brokenhearted. I need You
Lord so keep me from falling into the deception of false gods, even from trying to place myself on the throne of
my heart when that is Your place. Please take Your place there and help me to remember that there is only room for
one. I fall at Your feet and thank You for giving me understanding and knowledge that, because of Jesus, I
belong to You. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 16, 2010 CONFIDENCE IN GOD 1 John 5:14 (KJV) 14 And
this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: This morning, I feel misunderstood by someone I love
dearly. I feel like I am being judged unjustly by another believer. Notice that I said, "I feel." What
is happening here is that I feel persecuted for speaking the truth in love. Persecuted for holding forth
the righteousness of Jesus. Those are my feelings. If I strike back in anger or let past hurts
or issues pile up on top of this particular trial, I will be playing into the hands of the enemy. You see, I just did
that a few nights ago and was surprised at what came out of my mouth! However, I know that what is hidden in my heart
will eventually come out of my mouth, no matter how deeply I have hidden it! The Message puts Matthew 15:18 in pretty clear terms. It says that whatever comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart! That
paraphrase doesn't add the rest of the story. These are the things that defile people. The things that come
out of their mouths! Now, to get back on the positive side, when we are pressed and hurt, neglected and abused, God
will use it for good. He will reveal what is really down in us. God does not reveal that
to condemn us. He reveals it so we can turn it back over to Him so that He can heal us. Maybe you have
been in similar situations. It hurts when God reveals something in you that you did not think was there, such
as unforgiveness, pride, greed, anger and a host of other things through which the enemy tries to trap us. Even Christians
can turn against each other because of lack of humility. Jesus did not want it to be that way. He wants
exactly the opposite because we are not fighting people, we are fighting against principalities and powers that sometimes
deceive people and get them on the wrong track. (John 17:22, Ephesians 6:12) Here's some more wonderfully encouraging news! If we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we know that He
hears us and that whatever we ask, we know that we have those things for which we have asked.
Of course, if we really do know Jesus, the things that we ask will be pleasing to Him and within His Word and will.
(1 John 5:16) Because difficulties will arise, even between Christians, when we see someone sin, we can ask God to forgive them
and He will give them forgiveness and life. But, John also tells us that there is a sin that leads to death.
Although this is a very controversial subject among men and women of God, Jesus also mentions the, "unforgivable,"
sin. (Mark 3:28-29) Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost puts a person in danger of damnation. But, even here, Jesus says, "in
danger." John says we do not need to pray for the "fatal" sin. Perhaps that is because
only the Holy Spirit can bring repentance when a person falls this far. Needless to say, we all trip and
fall many times during our sanctification process in this life. Yet, God is willing to bend over and pick us up out
of the mud, clean us up, and give us many more chances to, "get it right." (Proverbs 24:16) Most of our sin does not lead to death according to 1 John 5:17. Praise God for that! Because of Jesus, we can have confidence in God that our prayers will be answered! 1 John 5:16 (KJV) 16 If you see a Christian brother
or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is
a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. 17 All
wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father, You see my life. Only
You know my heart. Sometimes I feel like I am being wrongly judged and persecuted, even by those who know You.
Lord, please reveal Your reality in my perspective. Remind me that there is now no condemnation in any of
us who know You. Help us to make life about You and not about ourselves or those who are not walking the way we
think they should walk. Whenever I slip and fall, thank You for picking me up, giving me a little bit more of Your
wisdom and love. Help me not to walk in feelings or in criticsm nor in judgment of others. Let me keep my face
turned in Your direction and pray fervently when I see and feel dissention. Thank You for Your promise that
I can ask anything in the Name of Jesus, and You will do it! Lord, today, I pray for unity within Your
body and unity and peace within Your many individual and unique children! In the mighty Name of Jesus, I thank You
that I have the confidence that this is done! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 15, 2010 KNOW SON, KNOW LIFE - NO SON, NO LIFE 1 John 5:9 (KJV) 9 If
we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his
Son. Usually, in
a legal setting, there are witnesses that come to the stand and swear that they will tell the truth. When they do this,
we tend to believe that what they are saying is true. Most of the time, we believe them and, if we are the jurors,
we make our decisions based on what they have said. So, if we believe these people that have sworn to tell the truth,
then we surely must believe the testimony of God because His testimony is greater than any human testimony. As humans,
we can get it wrong or we can actually take a chance on lying even though we have sworn to tell the truth. But,
God is not like that. He cannot lie and His perspective is never skewed. (Numbers 23:19, Genesis 3:5) God has testified about His Son. If we truly believe in Jesus, that He is the Son of God,
we will absolutely know in our hearts that God's testimony is true. Actually, any testimony coming from God is truth!
Those who don't believe God's testimony, or witness, concerning His Son are in a very dangerous place. Nobody in their
right mind would stand before Almighty God and call Him a liar. But, essentially, those who do not believe His testimony
about Jesus are doing that exact thing. I'm not sure why anyone would think that they could do such a thing and not
receive any punishment from the Lord. In any case, I surely don't want to be found calling God a liar!
I would venture to guess that you don't either! (1 John 1:10) John tells us once again very clearly that God has testified that He has given us eternal life.
The only way we can receive it is through His Son. (John 14:6, 1 John 5:11) Do you know Jesus, then you know life and life more abundantly.
(John 10:10) If you have no Son in your life, you really have no life at all! If you have any doubt as to
whether you really believe God's testimony about His Son, repent now and receive Jesus into your heart as your Lord.
Confess with your mouth that you believe. (Romans 10:9) You can know life that is abundant now and look forward to eternal life. This is the record and testimony
of God given to us, but we must believe and receive! 1 John 5:12 12 He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You Lord that your witness and testimony is true.
Thank You for Your perfect record-keeping, showing me that Jesus is truly Your Son. Thank You for giving
me abundant and eternal life! There are many who call You a liar by not believing Your testimony. Father,
give me a heart for those who do not believe and help me to spread Your testimony to the world that many would turn from
unbelief and believe Your witness. Thank You that to know You is to know life! I choose to believe Your
testimony today and always. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 14, 2010 A WITNESS AND A RECORD 1 John 5:6 (KJV) 6 This is he that
came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth
witness, because the Spirit is truth I have always known that it is good to keep written records. I don't always do what I know is good,
but several times I have had to check my records when they didn't agree with a legal or financial matters. How much
more important that we know that there is a record of what we believe in Heaven! There are three that bear record
in Heaven. They are the Father, the Word (which is Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. A record, according to the Greek
word used in this verse, means: a witness, a testimony, giving evidence, obtaining a good and honest report, according
to Strong's Dictionary. (1 John 5:7) In 1 John 5:6, I see that the Spirit bears witness about Jesus coming by water and blood. This word, "witness,"
is the same word used in 1 John 5:7, which is translated, "record." So, we know that Jesus absolutely did come by water and blood
to this earth! This term, "by water and blood," is one of the harder sayings in the scriptures and many men
and women of God have commented on what the exact meaning of it is. I have my own ideas which I will not state
here but here is one of the common ideas about exactly what this term, "by water and blood," means:
NLT Study Bible - 1 John 5:6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God's Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on
the cross (literally This is he who came by water and blood): John's contemporary, the heretic Cerinthus, taught
that "the Christ" descended as a spirit on the man Jesus when he was baptized but left him before he died. The
truth is that Jesus' baptism and death confirmed his identity as the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus of Nazareth was and is
truly the Christ, the Son of God, from the beginning and forever. Whatever the exact meaning of this verse
is, we know that Jesus shed His own blood for our redemption and that He is the living water. (Ephesians 1:7, John 4:10) The important thing here is that the Spirit bears witness of these two things because we find them clearly stated
in scripture and we know that the Spirit is Truth because the Spirit is not a thing. The Spirit is the very person
of Jesus without a physical body. God not only provides us with a record or witness by the Spirit, Himself, He
provides us a witness or record in Heaven. A record from three that are in agreement. (1 John 5:7) And then, if that's not enough, God provides us with a witness in the earth! The Spirit and the water and
the blood agree that Jesus, in fact, who was the Anointed One (Christ), came by water and blood. There are so
many applications we could make with water and blood, both physically and spiritually. We could make applications
from the Old and New Testaments and even from life today! Do we not have a wonderful Father? He does not leave
us wondering about whether Jesus Christ came or about the important aspects of His coming. Our Father leaves
us with a witness in Heaven and earth of these things! He also leaves us room for His ever-increasing revelation about the
depth of the meaning of the coming of Christ! We, among all people and religions, have evidence that we are believing
Truth. We may not understand it all yet, but we know that God will reveal His hidden things to us as we continue to
seek Him more and more! In the meantime, we can stand on the record and witness that God has provided with assurance
that we have a Savior who stepped into our world in a physical body and lived a life without sin, died, ascended into
Heaven, and now is ever interceding for us, knowing the feeling of everything we endure here on earth! This is somehow
all by water and blood! And we have the record to prove it! Have a happy day today knowing that you
are covered by the Savior and He has left you evidence of that! 1 John 5:8 (KJV) 8 And
there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank
you Lord that you have not left me without evidence and record that Jesus, Your Anointed One, came by water and blood.
Thank You for the many ways I can think about the applications of water and blood in the life, and death of Jesus.
Thank You that I don't have to understand everything fully to fully believe what You say because Your Spirit bears witness
of all these things and Your Spirit is Truth! Lead me every day into new and glorious revelation about the water and
the blood and about my Savior and all that He endured so I could know the Truth and be set free! Thank You for Your
witness and record in Heaven and in earth. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 13, 2010 OBEDIENCE, VICTORY, FAITH....LOVE! 1 John 5:1 (KJV) 1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth
him also that is begotten of him. It's amazing the lengths that God will go to in order to be sure that we have no excuses about
not knowing about His love and His expectations of us! John speaks over and over again about love! Sometimes
he repeats the very same things again! First of all, it's important to know for sure that we are born of God.
So, if you're not sure, ask yourself if you believe that Jesus is the anointed One born of God. As someone in my family
used to say, "Better believe it!" Secondly, if we say we love God, we will also love His Son! Thirdly,
we need to love the children of God. When we love God, we will keep His commandments and that's how we know
that we love all of God's children. (1 John 5:2) God wants us to know about obedience, victory, faith, and especially, love! John assures us
that keeping God's commandments is how we show that we love Him. "Commandment," may seem like a very hard
term. But, really, all of God's commandments are based on His love for us and our love for one another. They
are not rules to restrict us but, rather, standards of love which are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3) They're not so heavy that we have to bend at the weight of them. Really, they are freeing because
they are based on love. In fact, in Matthew 23:4, Jesus describes burdensome things that religion has placed on us. God never intended us to become
burdened down with rules, religious regulations and traditions of men. Religion has made some of us think that God
is mean and His commandments are devised so He can have reason to hit us over the head, or worse! No! Relationship
with Jesus will change our perspective so that we will know that all of God's commandments come out of His love.
When we obey His commandments because we trust Him enough to love Him, we can, through Him, overcome the world. I know
this world is getting to be a pretty difficult place in which to live. The tide is now going in the wrong direction.
To overcome, we, as believers, must swim up-stream, against the current, "current"! To do that constantly
is impossible but God gives us the strength through Christ (Philippians 4:13) And, God gives us the victory through Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14) Our faith in God and belief that His commands are given to us out of love constitutes our faith.
Faith works by love! (Galatians 5:6) So, our obedience, faith and love, bring Christ's victory in our lives. (1 John 5:4) Does anyone need to be reminded today that you are a victor and not a victim? At the
root of this reminder is God's love for you and your love for God and others. The enemy would love to keep you entangled
in a victim mentality but the truth is that love conquers all and, in Christ, you are victorious! So, do you believe
that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you love Him by obeying his commands? Then the victory is yours! It comes
by way of love! 1 John 5:5 (KJV) 5 Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Oh Lord, your reminders of love are repeated over and
over again. Sometimes I think I don't need any more reminders; but, knowing about love is a lot different than
thinking and acting consistently in love. So, thanks for the reminders because, just when I think I've really
got it, I find out there is more to learn! Help me to exercise obedience to Your loving commands. Help me
to keep the faith. Help me to know that I am truly a victor because Jesus brought the victory to me. Thank you
that all of this is true because You love me so much. I want to spread that love to others. Sometimes I
miss the mark. Thank you that Love forgives and offers second chances. Thank you for Your many loving
reminders about obedience, victory, faith and love MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 12, 2010 IS IT EVIDENT THAT WE LOVE GOD? 1 John 4:20-21 (KJV) 20 If a man say, I
love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God
whom he hath not seen? While my preference is that people communicate clearly, saying, "I love you," my mother
was quite different. It's not that she didn't say, "I love you," from time to time. She did, but not
as often as I say it and want to hear it said to me. What she wanted was evidence, not mere verbal declaration.
Our Heavenly Father, no doubt, is touched when we tell Him we love Him. I remember when my children were small, and
it is still true today, my day would be lifted when they would say, "Mommy," (or today Mom), I love you."
Nothing makes me more happy than that except knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me. He tells me all the time in
His Word. But, like my mother, He also tells us in His Word that we cannot just say, "Father, I love
You!" You see, He loves all of His children. He wants us all to love one another. As parents,
when we see our children loving one another and caring for one another, are not our hearts warmed to the core? So,
our Father says to us (through John), "Don't just say you love Me, let me see the evidence of that love in
how you love one another." None of us have seen God totally with our eyes but, because Jesus dwells within us
(if we have asked Him in). Love dwells within us. Love can't deny itself. So, we can say that we
belong to and know the Lord a thousand times over, but if we hate one another, the brutal truth is that we lie! The
evidence of whether we really love God is shown by our feelings and actions toward one another! So, do we have
evidence in our lives, in addition to what we say, that we love God? John says that, if we can't even love a brother
or a sister, whom we can see with our eyes, then how can we love God, whom we have not seen? Since our brothers and
sisters are all made in the image of God, and since He loves us all the same, how can we possibly say that we love
God if we hate them? Liars are from their father, the devil. So, we are either on the side of the enemy
or of God concerning our love for other. (John 8:44) Right here, we see another commandment from the Lord concerning love (which is at the core of all
God's commandments). The commandment is that we love one another. We can't just give God mouth-service.
If we really love God, we're commanded to love one another. Again, it's not a suggestion and it's not an option.
It's a commandment. It's actually the evidence, or proof, that we love God when we love one another. Oh my goodness,
I have been searched and found wanting in this area! Maybe you have too, if you are totally honest with yourself.
The good news is that God is not finished with us yet and, if we fervently desire to walk in love, we can allow God into
our hearts and minds and let Him perfect His love in us! Are we ready to surrender all of our hurts, disappointments,
and frustrations from our brothers and sisters and let God lead us in His love toward them, thereby proving that we really
do love Him? 1 John 4:21 (KJV) 21 And this commandment have we
from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I am thinking of the old hymn, "Bind us together,
Lord. Bind us together with love." Please do that today in all of Your children. Lord, begin in
me and with the children, grand-children, and great grand-children You have given me. Let Your love flow
through all those who know You and their families too. Let Your love flow like a river through
all Your children in every denomination, movement, and every home. Let the world see such evidence of our love
for You, by our love for one another, that they will not be able to deny Your existence and Your presence among us! Let
that be a sign to the world that they are invited to join Your family and remain safely in Your love for all eternity. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 11, 2010 I LOVE YOU MORE! 1 John 4:19 (KJV) 19 We
love him, because he first loved us. There's something about being loved first. The Apostle, John, declares to us that we love God because
He first loved us! God loved us even when we very unlovely! And, I believe that God loves us even
more than we could possibly love Him. As He perfects His love in us, and as we learn to be more like Him, we
will love in a deeper way. We will love both God and those around us more and more, as long as we are allowing
God to perfect His love in us! I remember when I first met my husband. He is the only man in my life who pursued
me first, telling me that he loved me. I had been hurt in the past and I really didn't think I loved him, so I did
not say so. Yet, he continued to pursue and declare his love for me. He sent me flowers and took me to fancy
restaurants. Yet, I still did not tell him I loved him. It took me a long time to be able to say that.
All the while, I was learning what real love was (and is). God was starting a process in me to perfect His love.
I'm a slow learner but after about thirty-four years, I am finally learning how to really love! So, whatever
it is that you are going through, know that God has not given up on you. He's still working in your life to bring you
to a greater knowledge of His love. In His love is included, provision, healing, strength, comfort, deliverance,
and anything else you might need for the situation at hand (and for everything else you will ever need in life)! Another
version of 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us." Not only do we learn to love God more and more
as we realize that He first loved us. We can risk loving others because God first loved us and He's not about
to let go of us! If others don't seem so lovable, we can hang in there and keep loving them, truly being an ambassador
for Christ! Because God first loved us, He will teach us how to love others. (1 Thessalonians 4:9) The love we hear about from the world is usually akin to something, "warm and fuzzy." But, real
love is most often a labor of love. (1 Thessalonians 1:3, Hebrews 6:10) God's kind of love never fails (though it may require great sacrifice) (1 Corinthians 13:8) Jesus said that the most important commandment was that we should love God and the second greatest was like
it. We're commanded to love one another! (Matthew 22:37-39) When we obey that commandment, we are becoming more and more conformed to look like our Father, "Love."
There are so many ways we differ with others in our opinions, likes, dislikes, looks, culture, etc. However, if we
focus is on love instead of man-made doctrines, fables and "endless genealogies," we will find ourselves able
to succeed in obeying the second greatest commandment with more ease. (1 Timothy 1:3-6) What really counts is loving with Godly edification in faith (which works by love). The purpose of focusing
this way is that we will then love from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith. We must not turn to idle
talk and the law (except the law of love). If we want to teach others, we must understand what we teach, know that
it comes from the truth of His Word, and realize that it should all be based on love! God loved us first. Now
we can love others just as Jesus loved us! God will always love us more than we love Him, so we need not worry about
a lack as long as our hearts are bent toward the Father, who is the giver of all good gifts, most importantly love!
You probably love God, but always remember that He loved you first so you could love Him back. Besides that, when
we say, "I love you, Lord," we'll probably hear, whispered back to us, "Yes, but I love you more!" Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) 3 The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee. PRAYER FOCUS FOR
TODAY: Thank You, Father, that You first loved me! Thank you that You will teach me to love if
I will watch and listen to You. Thank you for allowing me the opportunities to do labors of love. Lord,
thank You that Your love for me is everlasting and that it is You who are always drawing me to Yourself with love.
Thank You that, as much as I love You, You will always love me more! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 10, 2010 REAL LOVE CONQUERS FEAR 1 John 4:17 (KJV) 17 Herein
is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. What are you afraid of? Anything?
What if it were possible to be fearless? Well, I believe it is! First of all, God's Word is true. (Psalm 119:160) God does not lie! (Numbers 23:19) God loves to give His children good gifts. (James 1:17) God wants to perfect His love in us. (1 John 2:5) When we keep His commandments, His love is perfected in us. (John 15:10) Let's just say that you have a child. Perhaps that child is disobedient. Do you cast that
child away, declaring that he or she is no longer a member of the family? If you are a good parent you will not do
that. They will always be your child but they may choose to go in a wrong direction. Because you love that child,
you will discipline him or her. (Proverbs 19:18) There may be a time of being uncomfortable for you and for the child during that discipline.
But, after the discipline, you will confirm your love to your child and there will be no more judgment from you for
the past offense. That's a mere human scenario. We are not perfect yet. We are in a process. Just
think how much more perfectly that works between us and our Heavenly Father. When we walk as Jesus walked in this
world, we are walking in obedience and our love continues to be perfected (or thoroughly finished and accomplished).
When the day of judgment comes, we will not have to fear. God may have had to discipline us at times, but once
we have repented and are back on track, we can continue in the perfecting process. As long as we continue from
there walking in love and obeying the commandments of Jesus (which are totally based on love), we have nothing to fear! Do
we fear certain situations in life? Do we fear people that are different than we are? We don't have to!
God loves us all the same, no matter what we look like or what we have done. However, some of us refuse to believe
that, thinking that we have to do something to earn His love. If you are like me, you were raised in a performance-based
atmosphere. If you did everything right, you were considered, "good." This sort of thing just fosters
fear! None of us are, "good," so we might as well just end that conversation right here! (Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:23) The verses I just mentioned could foster fear in us too, if that's the only words from scripture that
we looked at! But, the whole Word of God eliminates fear with love. God so loved the world that He sent
His Son for you and me so we could loose all fear of condemnation! (John 3:16-17) There's not a situation that we face in this life that is not already taken care of by God because of
His love for us! I am remembering the angelic visits to certain people in the scriptures. Their first words
were, "Do not fear." You see, God has not given us a spirit of fear. He's given us power.
He's given us a sound and disciplined mind. Best of all, He's given us love! (1 Timothy 1:7) Aren't you glad that God does not just order us not to fear. Instead, He gives us something
to replace fear! That something is His love! Fear brings torment to our lives. We will not risk reaching
out to someone that's different because of fear. We will enter challenging situations in life without hope and strength
because of fear. When we are still reacting in fear, God's love has not been accomplished in us! But,
when we allow God to fully take over our being, fear will have to go. God is love and God is already
perfect and always was! The more we surrender to Love, the less fear we are going to have! It would be very
hard to surrender to a slave-driver but many of us do when we surrender to fear (which is of the devil).
When you think about it, surrendering to Love and letting Him fill you should not be hard! Lets just go ahead
and do that! Love conquers fear! 1 John 4:18 (KJV) 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect
love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Heavenly Father,
so many times I fear situations and people. Please help me to realize that You love me so much that You have
already provided for my every need and situation. Thank You for Your love for everyone and I do pray that everyone
would receive that love and stop walking in fear. Lord, when we fear one another, we lash out and hurt each other.
Love is not that way! Deliver me from all fear by filling me completely with Yourself. With Your love. Keep
on perfecting Your love in me Lord, please. I want to walk in perfect love and fear no more! Thank
you that this is entirely possible because of Your love for me! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 9, 2010 KNOWING AND BELIEVING GOD'S LOVE FOR US 1 John 4:14 (KJV) 14 And we have seen
and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. When you see something with your own eyes, you become an, "eyewitness."
Your testimony is regarded highly because you actually saw something! The Apostle, John, want us to know that he and
the other apostles are eyewitnesses. He says that they have seen that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior
of the world. They were right there, walking, physically, with the Savior. They touched Him, saw Him and His
miracles with their own eyes and they experienced His love firsthand. They probably experienced it in the look in
His eyes and the pats on their back. They may have also experienced it in a look of disappointment from Him when they
just didn't get it. They saw no condemnation in His eyes, I am sure. Why? Because Jesus did not come into
the world to bring us condemnation, but to save us from condemnation! (John 3:17, Romans 8:1) Peter perhaps saw, firsthand, that look of disappointment in the wee hours of the morning on the day
Jesus was crucified. Peter had denied three times that he even knew Jesus! (Mark 14:66-72) Peter also probably saw the look of forgiveness in the eyes of Jesus, firsthand when Jesus, in His
resurrected body, had a breakfast of fish prepared for the apostles. Jesus took Peter aside and gave Peter another
chance to follow Him - three times! (John 21:3-17) Peter and the others who had been on a boat fishing all night and had caught nothing, saw and
heard Jesus yell from the beach to cast their nets on the other side, and when they obeyed, the pulled in a great haul
of fish! They recognized Him as the Savior of the world. Now, John is testifying to us as an eyewitness.
His testimony to us here is also a fulfillment of a prophecy of Jesus. He said they would be a witness because
they had been with Him from the beginning. (John 15:27) Now, because we have been allowed to be the jury in this, "trial," listening to eyewitnesses,
we can surely find Jesus to truly be the Savior of the world. (Luke 2:11) We see today, with eyes of faith, what the apostles of old saw with their physical eyes. We
confess with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9) We believe in Jesus and God makes us at home with Him and He with us. (1 John 4:15) The apostles knew and believed the love that God had for them. This is a major element in our
faith! Some of us may feel that God doesn't love us so much. Maybe we have given Him pretty good reason
not to love us! Perhaps we have done some unlovely or downright awful things. Not to worry! Forgiveness
is available from Jesus, just as it was for Peter! The biggest reason we do not need to worry is that God is
love. No matter what we do or don't do, we cannot change God. But, we can let Him change us! We can gratefully
and unconditionally receive His unconditional love for us. We can honor Him and believe His Word by trusting
in His unfailing love. We can say and truly believe that God loves us with a never-ending love because He is
love. We can say and believe that we can't do anything to make Him love us any more or any less than He already
does! When we know just how much we are loved, we won't have any fear of anything! (1 John 4:18) And, because we know that we are loved by Love, Himself, we can overcome the world by our belief in
His Son! Like the apostles, we can know and believe the love that God has for us, inviting Love to live in us.
We can rest and abide in Love that will never change or fail! Knowing and believing God's love for us is a wonderfully
secure place to be. Do we really know and believe that in the depths of our heart? If we do, nothing can stop
us from being agents for change in this dark world! 1 John 4:16 16 And we have known and believed the love that God
hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Wow, Lord,
thank You for telling me over and over again that You love me! Thank You for Your looks of love toward me, Your
pats on my back when I do things that please you. But, thank You most of all that Your love for me does not change
when I mess up and do things that are not too pleasing. Thank You for Your loving forgiveness and for loving me enough
to give me second chances. Thank You that You are Love and that I cannot change that. Thank You
for allowing me to unconditionally receive Your unconditional love! Help me never to turn my back on love but, instead
to spread it around everywhere I go! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 8, 2010 CONSTANT AND REPEATED REMINDERS! 1 John 4:13 (KJV) 13 Hereby
know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. When I was a young girl and even up to my earthly father's death, whenever I left, He would say. "Be
careful." It really irritated me! I wasn't sure why I had to be so, "careful." Later
on, I realized it was his care for his daughter that drove him to constantly remind me and repeat those words, "Be
careful." Since then, I have learned that I can cast all of my cares upon Jesus because He cares for me.
(1 Peter 5:7) I have also learned that I must use wisdom in everything I say and do and wherever I am. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) I have learned (at least in my head and, hopefully, in my heart) that I don't need to be afraid. In
fact, when I am so afraid that I am hearing those words, "Be careful," over in my head, I have to renew my mind
with my Heavenly Father's Words. (Romans 12:1) I know my Dad loved me to bits and pieces but he did not really learn that we are not supposed to worry. (Matthew 6:34). I wish he did, but He didn't. In fact, he once told me that he wasn't happy unless he had something
to worry about! This is in direct opposition to what God says in His Word. In some ways, my Dad was a baby Christian.
He believed in Jesus but he seemed to be unable to press in to His Word and cling to the creative power in it. I believe
that love covers a multitude of sins and my Dad was doing the best he knew how for me. (1 Peter 4:8) But, it's my choice now to look into my Heavenly Father's Word and begin to try to speak it in every situation.
That's how Jesus defeated the enemy (who is all about trying to keep us down by distracting us from the Word of God and from
the fellowship of His Spirit). (Matthew 4:1-11) Well, the Apostle, John, is telling us once again that we can know for sure that we dwell in Christ and that Christ
dwells in us. We have been told this again and again throughout the New Testament. It's a constant and repeated
reminder! Like my Dad, who really didn't want anything to happen to me, our Heavenly Father constantly reminds and
repeats to us those things that will keep us safely dwelling in Him. Today, we can know that this mutual
abiding with Jesus is true! One of the key words in 1 John 4:13 is the word, "hereby." In saying,"hereby," John is referring to the passages just before
this one which are all about loving one another. Again, we are reminded that it's all about love! This verse
refers us back to love, abiding, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can know that we abide in God because we love
Him, we obey His commandments (which are all about love), and we abide in Him and He in us because the Holy Spirit
bears witness with our Spirit to that and is the guarantee of our eternal abiding with the Lord! (1 John 2:3,1 John 5:6-10)) Have you ever thought of that? Are you sure that you know that you dwell
in Him? The reminder we find here in 1 John 4:13, is to help us remember that we can, and must, know this! If we have any doubts, the enemy will use
that "crack in the door, " to gain a foothold and then, if we don't recognize him for who he is, he will have a
stronghold. We can listen to things people say and get it wrong, even as I lived my life hearing my Dad say, "Be
careful." Instead of walking around with God's peace, I was filled with anxiety because I always felt that I needed
to be careful about something! Even well-meaning people can speak words that are contrary to God's Word into our lives
and the enemy will have a field day with them. Let's determine to stay in God's Word, check out everything that is
said to us through that Word, and continually renew our minds until we, by constant and repeated reminders know that we
know that we know! 1 John 3:24 (KJV) 24 And he
that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which
he hath given us. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
I admit that I am not fond of having someone remind me and repeat things over and over again to me. But, Lord, I also
know that I am one of the sheep in Your pasture. You are the Great Shepherd, the loving Shepherd.
I know that sheep are dumb, Lord. You have given me intelligence so that I can operate successfully while on this
earth but help me to remember, that Your thoughts are so much higher than mine. Help me to humble myself and realize
that, just when I think I've, "got it," and don't need any more reminders, I've become proud before You!
Thank you that every one of Your thoughts and principles have deeper and deeper meanings and applications for my life.
Gentle Shepherd, help me never to tire of being close to you even if You do constantly remind me and repeat these things.
Thank you that it sinks deeper and deeper into my being each time I hear it again! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 7, 2010 THE PERFECT EXPRESSION OF LOVE 1 John 4:11 (KJV) 11 Beloved,
if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Can I start out saying, "Beloved?" Why am I asking this? Because I want you to know
that you are loved. You are well loved and dearly loved with an unconditional love that wants the very
best for you! It is the same word that God used when He spoke of Jesus when He said He was well pleased with Him!
(Matthew 3:17) It is the same word used by Paul when he is speaking of warning his, "beloved" ones to whom he has ministered.
(1 Corinthians 4:14) God extravagantly and sacrificially loved us when He sent Jesus to live, die and be raised for us. So, my well-loved brothers
and sisters in Christ, we ought to love one another. Does that mean that the other will always love
us back? Not really. Does it mean that the other will always be lovely? Not necessarily. We all go
through situations and seasons where we perhaps are not following God closely enough in love and not looking very
lovely to others. 1 John 4:11 indicates, though, that if (and there's really no, "if," about it) God so loved us, we ought also to love
one another. How did God, "so," love us? He gave a piece of Himself! (John 3:16) It's so interesting that God showed us this kind of love when we were still His enemies! (Romans 5:8) Is that the way we show our love to one another? Will we love when another seems to be our enemy, considering
that we are not really fighting against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers? (Ephesians 6:12) If you and I were to admit it, we'd probably have to say that we're not always the most lovable creatures!
If you catch us at just the right moment, a weak moment, we might not look very worthy of love. But, God so loved
us, nevertheless! That's how we ought to love one another. Sometimes we have to make allowances for others by
loving them despite their poor decisions and momentary spiritual lapses. Loving one another is not a suggestion or
even an option. It's a commandment right from the mouth of Jesus! (John 15:12) Again, according to Jesus, it cannot be just any brand or style of love. It must be the same love
with which Jesus loved and still loves us! If we only got a glimpse of that love, we could not help but love one
another! As we know, God does not parade Himself in front of us in the flesh! Or, does He? We have probably
all met someone who really exudes the love of God. When we're in their presence, we feel loved, we are encouraged and
uplifted, and there is a peace in the atmosphere. This is the love of God being perfectly expressed through
another. Though we can't see God in person, we can see God in one another when His love is perfected in us.
When we love one another, God makes His abode in us. His love is then accomplished, consummated, and completed in
us. That's what the word, "perfected," means. Isn't it awesome that God would choose the likes of us
to show His love perfected? Isn't it totally amazing that this is even a possibility? But, God doesn't lie!
You and I can be a picture of His perfect love expressed by loving one another! This is such a blessing and
we can be such a blessing to others in this way! I'm excited that a miracle can come from my life (and yours).
The perfect expression of the love of God can flow through us if we're willing to let it! Let's be willing! 1 John 4:12 (KJV) 12
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in
us. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
this all sounds so good to me. How is it that I can be an expression of Your perfect love? Please help
me to be willing to be willing to put petty things away and just love others without judging or criticizing. Help me
to love enough to say the truth in love. Help me to totally hate sin but extravagantly love the one who may have fallen
into a mud hole in life. Jesus, make me an instrument and vessel that carries that precious commodity which is
Your perfect love. Help it to spill out on everyone I meet. Thank You that this is possible because You first
loved me! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 6, 2010 LOVE IN ACTION 1 John 4:9-10 (KJV) 9 In this was
manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him. God could have
just told us, His creation, that He loved us. He could have just left us with the Holy Scriptures and asked us to believe.
But, He did not do that. He loved us so much that He wanted to show Himself to us. There is just one
problem with that. He is so righteous and holy, and humanity is so sinful, that no one can look upon Him
and live! (Exodus 33:20) So, the love in God for us welled up in Him in such a way that He could do nothing but reach from Heaven to where
we are with His Son. That was definitely love in action. Jesus came to earth and was born as, "one
of us." He gave up His heavenly rights to come and live as one of us on earth for approximately thirty-three
years, enduring and overcoming anything and everything that you and I will ever feel or go through! Then He died. But,
He rose again! Again, that is love in action. Excruciatingly sacrificial action. But, victorious
action! Our God, who is love, showed us Himself in Jesus! (John 14:7-11) You and I can get to feeling pretty good about ourselves sometimes, can't we? But, the bottom line is that
we didn't love God. He loved us. Even now, we only love God as much as we obey Him! (Deuteronomy 30:16, John 14:15) God showed you and I how to love by His love in action. While it's true that we cannot do good deeds to earn
our way to Heaven, if we really love God, it will show in our actions. God's love toward us showed in His sending Jesus
so that we could see a real live person on earth with the face of God! There is a beautiful song entitled, "Mary,
Did You Know?' Some of the words are spoken to Mary asking her if she knew that, "when you kissed your
little baby, you kissed the face of God." You and I cannot see Jesus in the flesh today but we have the words
that He left with us from eyewitnesses who actually saw God, in the person of His Son. (John 3:11) You and I read the accounts of these eyewitnesses and we believe and are blessed. (John 20:29) By faith, we can see God! We see Him acting in love in the life of Jesus. We see Him sending us
a piece of Himself so that we can have the assurance of His love! (John 1:18) God so loved____________.... Write your name in the blank. (John 3:16-17) That's His love for you, in action! Before God's drastic action, there was no way we could have eternal
life and be reconciled to Him. We did not love Him! But, He loved us and made a way for our passage back
to Him. (1 John 5:11-13) As the old hymn says, "Only Believe." God's love for you and me provoked Him to sacrificial
action because He wanted us back so badly that He was willing to give His own Son! Because of the great love of
the Father for disobedient and sinful children, Jesus gave His life. Our sins are wiped out by His atoning
sacrifice. That's love in action! How will our love for God show in our actions toward Him and toward others
today? 1 John 4:10 (KJV) 10 Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Oh Lord, Your love
for me is boundless and unfailing! Thank You so very much for putting that love into action when you sent Jesus to
die for my sin and then be raised again to live forever, always interceding for me! Help me, Lord, to show my love
for You and for others by my actions. Many times, my actions don't look so loving! For those times,
I ask for Your forgiveness and for Your help to turn around and take a second look at Your love in action. Then, please
Lord, help me to follow in Your loving footsteps! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 5, 2010 WHY THE EMPHASIS ON LOVE? 1 John 4:7 (KJV) 7 Beloved,
let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Lately, the more I read scripture the more
I see that the main theme of scripture is love. It's about God, but then, who is God, but Love? Yes, God is
righteous and holy and we need to reverently fear Him enough to lovingly and willingly worship and serve Him. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) And yes, God does sometimes discipline His children. But, God's discipline is also a sign of His love for us.
He has told us, as humans, that if we do not discipline our children, we hate them. (Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 19:18) That's quite the opposite of what most people are thinking in our day. And, look at the mess we're
in! Many have not shown love for their children by nurturing, as well as disciplining them. This is not so with our
perfect Heavenly Father. It's all about God's character, His essence. His very being. It's all about love. (Hebrews 12:6) Our Father loves you and me enough to discipline us so that we will not be like a wild vine that produces no
fruit. If we trace everything about God and everything God does back to it's root, what we will find is......... Love!
That's why there's so much emphasis on love in the scriptures. The scriptures are His-story! He wants us to,
"grow up," to be just like Him! That's why John writes, in so many ways, "Love one another."
If you encounter a person who has no love within them, you know you have encountered someone who has not received
Jesus as Savior. Because the only way to really know God is to receive His Son, that person with no love knows not
God. Know Love - know God! No love - no God! This sort of love that John is urging us to develop is not
just words or some mushy feeling. It's a decision to look out for another and act. It's a
decision to always want what is best for one another and sacrifice, if necessary, to make sure that happens. Do
you know that God loves you, even if you are feeling the sting of discipline? (Hebrews 12:11) God's loving discipline is for our training in righteousness. It's to make us better than before!
Look at the love of our Father. He works individually with each of His children. What a job! He meets
us where we are and through love (sometimes tough love), He helps make us the person He made us to be. To meet
our highest potential. To be like Himself! Why is there so much emphasis on love in the scripture? Why are we repeating these things over and over again? Because God is love!
Because we need to call on Love every moment of our lives! Love listens, cares, comforts, strengthens, delivers, answers,
provides, gives, helps.... I don't think we can really end the previous sentence. Love is everything.
Love is God! God is love! The more we love, the better we know God! Do you love?
How can we show love as we go through this day? How can we show God to a world in need of real love?
Let's make a decision to find ways and then do it! 1 John 4:8 (KJV) 8 He that loveth
not knoweth not God; for God is love. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Dear Father Love, I am so thankful for You. So thankful
that Your very essence is that of love. Teach me to love You more and love others more! I want to know You
better and better. Thank You, also, that You love me enough to reign me in and discipline me when I go astray.
Help me always to remember that Your love is perfectly balanced and that You will lovingly do whatever it takes to see that
I grow up to be just like You! You are perfect and holy, Lord. I'm thankful that what makes You perfect
and holy is the love that is at the depth of Your being. MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 4, 2010 OVERCOMING! 1 John 4:4 (KJV) 4 Ye
are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. What would you do if you were sure you could
not fail? What would you attempt to accomplish if you knew you could overcome any obstacle in your way? Well,
the truth is that, if you're a follower of Christ, you cannot fail! The Victor lives within you. You are more
than a conqueror! (Romans 8:37) There is no obstacle that is too big for you to overcome! You have the power, by faith,
to move mountains! The One who moves them lives within you! (Mark 11:23) All we have to do is continue to say a thing and continue to believe. The Apostle,
John, tells us (and he's speaking to those who truly follow Christ) that, even though there are antichrist spirits at work
in this world, we have no part with them. We are of God. We are all little children of God! We are overcomers!
Not by our intellect or our cleverness, or any other human trait. We have overcome the spirits of antichrist because
the One living in us is greater than those evil spirits that roam the world. We overcome, not by our might
or our power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) He that is in us is the Spirit of Jesus! At the mention of the Name of Jesus, eventually
everything in heaven, on earth, and under the earth is going to have to bow. The victory is already declared by the
Father. (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10) The antichrist spirits come from the devil and they now have some power in the world. They
operate in the world and speak the things of the world. Those in the world who are unaware listen to them and pay
attention. (1 John 4:5) No wonder we should shine forth as light in such a dark place as this world! (Matthew 5:16) Some who are now listening to the spirits of antichrist in this world may be won by one who will step
out and remember that the greater One lives within them. If God has called that one trapped now by the darkness, who
knows if we will be the one to shed enough light for them to come out of the dark tunnel in which they have become buried!
When we follow Christ, we are of God. We are His little children. Our Daddy is bigger than the devil, who is
spreading lies and deceiving those in the world. We know that our Daddy always hears us! Although we may feel
like the only one around us who is trying to live for our Heavenly Father, there are others! We must not give
in to the Elijah Complex! (Romans 11:2-5) Not only are we victorious because the Victor lives in us; the Victor has also left others here
to encourage us and remind us to keep on going because we are surely going to walk in triumph with the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords, whose Spirit now dwells in us! (2 Corinthians 2:14) Just yesterday I met a very kind and helpful man in the bank. But, he was more than
that. He didn't have to say it out loud. It showed in how he spoke to me and tried very hard to help me with
my banking business! He was another believer! He heard what I had to say and I heard what he had to say!
He was of God and we could listen to one another. On the other hand, I have come across those who will not hear me
or even try to hear me. It's that the war is between the spirits of truth and error. Not between people!
(1 Corinthians 10:3-4, Ephesians 6:12) We can know, if we follow Jesus, that His Spirit lives in us. That Spirit is greater than any evil spirit
or spirit of error in this world. We can know that some will hear us because they carry that same Spirit inside of
them. Most of all, we can know that, although sometimes the battles are rough and uncomfortable, we win.
It is all through Christ and because our Daddy loves us so much! Go ahead, reach out and try what God tells you
to try. Speak to those mountains that get in the way and do not doubt. You are an overcomer!
Greater is He that is in you than anything you will encounter in this world! 1 John 4:6 (KJV) 6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit
of truth, and the spirit of error. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You Father, that all through scripture, You remind me that I am an overcomer by
the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony! Thank You that You assure me that You always lead me to triumph
through Christ! Help me not to be afraid when the battle gets rough, when it seems no one relates to me, when I get
tired, and when the mountains in life seem insurmountable. Please, Lord, help me to keep on believing and declaring
the victory that You have already won for me! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 3, 2010 DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR! 1 John 4:1 (KJV) 1 Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. My parents
and grandparents used to use that phrase, "Don't believe everything you hear." Many will tell you what you
want to hear just to avoid conflict or to be downright deceitful. Some people tell you things you don't want to hear.
For example, during the political campaigns here in America, the e-mail's were flying, each side telling, "things,"
about the other side. No matter which side you were on, there were things were said in those e-mail's that were untrue.
And, it was on both sides. Thank God that, if we are believers, we're on the side of The Truth! However,
there is someone who hates the truth. He will twist it and turn it and use it deceptively to wage war on and try to
win the children of God. He is determined to handily destroy us! He already has control over many men and women
in this world and they promote his lies. That's why the Apostle, John, tells us not to believe every spirit.
Although many would try to deny it, there are two different kinds of spirits in the world today. The spirits of Truth
and the spirits of the anti-Truth! So, we will not believe everything we hear. We must do what John says to
do. Test the spirits. Now, hold on to your seat. If you are not in total agreement with another who
says he or she is a Christian, that is not a valid test. It's true that many false prophets are in
this world today. Sometimes we tend to test them, using as a standard like what kind of music they like,
whether they like pews or chairs in a church, and a number of other frivolous things that have to do with men's likes and
opinions. No. The scripture is clear on how to test the spirits! Number one: they confess that Jesus Christ
was born in the flesh. That He truly came to earth as a real baby and lived a life in the flesh for approximately thirty-three
years. Number two: If a spirit does not confess (or declare and believe) that Jesus came to earth in an
earthly body, this is a spirit of anti-Truth (or antichrist). There are plenty of these, "antichrists," in
this world. So, let's go back to one of the main themes of John's writings. We're supposed to love
one another. When we start fighting each other over the non-essentials, the real enemy has a heyday. In
fact we help him with his work! Instead of destroying one another, let's determine to love one another and use the two-step
test that scripture outlines in 1 John 4:2-3! We know that the spirit of antichrist is already in our world. It is a spirit of non-belief, lies, and deceit.
It ends in death. Praise God, you and I are soldiers of the Spirit of Truth. It is Christ that will
hang on to us, strengthen us, help us to keep believing and confessing Him as much of the world tries to say that He never
really came to earth at all! It's true, we are in a war. But, not against each other, no matter what sign
hangs over the door of where we worship. We need to join forces and stand for and with the King of the Kingdom
of God. King of Kings and Lord of Lords! We need to expose the darkness of unbelief and be vessels from whom
the Spirit of Truth can flow! Don't believe everything you hear! Believe and confess that Jesus came to earth
as a real baby over two thousand years ago! When you find people that do not believe and confess that, you know you
have come up against the spirit of antichrist! When that happens, don't believe a word that comes from that spirit
and do not in any way unite with it. Light has no place in darkness! PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, please
help me not to fight against other believers about lesser things. Let Your love flow through me into every part
of Your Kingdom. But, Lord, please do help me to do what you said and watch out for those who do not confess and believe
that You truly came in the flesh. Thank You for making the testing so simple for me! Thank You that, going
forward, I will be careful, by Your grace, not to believe everything I hear but that I will continue to believe You and confess
that openly! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 2, 2010 HOW DO WE KNOW? 1 John 3:24 (KJV) 24 And
he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit
which he hath given us. I
really like to be sure of things in life. I like to know that I am secure. I would think that most people
are like that. There's nothing more important than being sure that we know that we're abiding in Jesus and He
in us! How do we know that? We know that we are abiding in Jesus and He in us when we keep His commandments.
(1 John 2:3) How do we know if we are keeping His commandments? (1 John 2:6) We will find ourselves walking more and more like Jesus walked. I have to confess, here, that I am not
there yet! I want to walk like Jesus but many times my flesh will rise up and I will walk like I want
to walk! (Matthew 26:41) John is very repetitive in his writings. Since all the scriptures are breathed by God's Spirit through
the writers, I guess God is really interested in you and I knowing that we know that we know these principles
inside and out. For instance, John mentions, "knowing," more than once. In 1 John 5:2, John tells us how we can know that we love the children of God (which is the second greatest commandment).
Being sure of things in life, especially being sure that we love God, and love whom He loves, is really important.
John repeats it over and over again! In 1 John 3:24, we are told that we can know that Jesus lives in us. We know by the Holy Spirit, which He has given us.
He repeats that too! It's repeated in 1 John 4:13. It's repeated in other places in scripture too. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:22, that God has sealed us with His Spirit and put His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee of what is to come. Paul writes
in Ephesians 1:14, that the Holy Spirit, in us, is a deposit. He is Someone that guarantees our inheritance until the final redemption of
those who belong to God. I'm beginning to see a pattern of repetition here about knowing for a surety
that Jesus lives in us. I'm beginning to see that it is all explained over and over again many times throughout the New
Testament. It is by the Holy Spirit that God has placed in us that we know that Jesus lives in us.
It's a personal thing. Yet, it is also a corporate thing because when we carry the Spirit of God, it bears witness
with others who also carry His Spirit. It's all a wonderfully mysterious thing; but a thing in which we can be secure
and know! Obviously because of the repetitiveness of this subject, we need to be reminded again and again. If
we didn't it would not be in the scripture so many times. I know, for sure, that I need the reminders.
I have such a tendency to be that one dumb sheep that wanders off at times not realizing that I am walking straight toward
a cliff! Thank the Lord, there are reminders for me all through the scripture, and through men and women of God, who
will encourage me and help me to remember that I belong to the Shepherd and His Spirit is in me! In all of these reminders,
I have hope and so do you! Romans 5:5 (KJV) 5 And
hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Spirit.
Thank You for giving this imperfect vessel Your very own Spirit to help me know that I am Yours now, and forever.
Please, please, help me to obey Your commandments, not because I have to in order to avoid punishment; but, because
I love You enough to want to please You. I am not where I want to be but thank You that, by Your Spirit's
guidance in my life, You will bring me to a place that is totally pleasing to You! MORNING MANNA - DECEMBER 1, 2010 WHAT? ARE YOU SAYING IT AGAIN? 1 John 3:23 (KJV) 23
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another,
as he gave us commandment. I once sat through a sermon where the pastor took the whole time just reading scripture after scripture. The
congregation, at least most of them, were squirming around in their seats and most of the looked as if they couldn't believe
that he would do that. They seemed disinterested and bored! They were hearing the pure Word but they were irritated
(and some probably mad) that the preacher would just read scripture after scripture. Of course, all the scripture
was well organized and it flowed, proving that the Lord does speak through all scripture and all scripture really goes together
to form His direction, will, and plan for us. Reading through 1 John once again, and also reading through many other
books of the Bible, scripture can almost be summarized in three words: believing, obeying, and loving. Everything
hinges on love. I heard the other day that the hinge to the door of salvation was on the door of a stable over
two thousand years ago. This hinge had to do with God's love for a people who had become quite unruly and unloving!
(John 3:16) Faith only works by love. (Galatians 5:6) If it is impossible to please God without faith, and faith works by love, we can't please God unless we love!
(Hebrews 11:6) Also, we know that. when asked about which was the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, "love."
(Mark 12:28-31) We also know that Jesus said that, if we love Him, we will obey His commandments." (John 14:15) Well, we cannot love God and love Jesus unless we first believe! (John 20:29) It all goes together quite well; belief, obedience, and love. Love holds it all together too. (1 Corinthians 13:13) You really can't have one without the other! Out of everything, love is one of the three things that will always
remain! No wonder it is a theme, along with obedience and faith, that is repeated again and again through scripture.
We hear the Lord teach on it and we see it (or the lack of it) in many of the characters we read about in His Word.
He's got the same theme going, just like that pastor that seemed to irritate many of the people by repeating scripture. Although
these things are repeated by God many times, we can't fail to get something new and practical out of it every time we
read it again! His Holy Spirit applies it to our hearts and lives - believe, obey, love..... Do you get
irritated when God repeats things over and over in scripture? Do you put your Bible down once you have read it and
think you've got it. As they say, "You've got another thing coming!" And so do I. His word
is always new and ever deeper and His Spirit directs us and builds us in belief, obedience, and love. Go ahead, I
double-dare you. Read it again and again with the heart of one seeking to know your Savior better and to begin
to look more and more like Him. You won't be asking those questions, "What? Are You saying it again?"
You'll begin to have a clearer picture of Jesus and you'll be saying, as an old hymn says, "Tell me over and over
again!" If God didn't think it was so important that we really, really, "get it," He wouldn't say
it over and over again. What a shame that would be! God loves us so much that He is willing to say these
things over and over again and give them ever-new meaning in every area of our lives! Believe. Obey.
Love. Because God first loved us and His love will never fail! He proves that by sending His Spirit into all
those who believe and love Him enough to obey His commandments! (1 John 3:24) Matthew 22:35-40 (KJV) 35 Then
one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master,
which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38
This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the
second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I'm so thankful that You know my needs so
well. You know that I need to be reminded all of the time about believing, obeying, and loving. Thank You
for loving me enough to do that for me, helping me to see all of the good You have for me when I begin to get these concepts
on a deeper and deeper level. Thank You for Your presence in my life. The presence of a Love that will not fail
and a Love that will help me to constantly be more and more like You! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 30, 2010 WHY PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED 1 John 3:20 (KJV) 20 For
if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Have you ever had your heart condemn you? In other words, has your conscience ever been pricked
because you feel that you have done something wrong or perhaps not done something that you should have done? It
could be that our thoughts are, "right on." Or, it could be that we have tapped into a guilt trap
laid out for us by the devil. Whatever it is, we can look back on our actions, and if they are good, we do not need
to feel any condemnation. (1 John 3:19) In fact, we know that if we are in Christ Jesus, there is now no condemnation in us! (Romans 8:1) When Paul talks about being in Christ Jesus, here, he is not just talking about saying we are in Jesus. He
is talking about showing that we are in Christ by not walking in the flesh. God sees everything we think and everything
we do! He knows our motives better than we do! If we are feeling pricked in our conscience about a particular
thing, God is greater than our heart. He is greater than that, thing! If we look back at our action
(or it may be a lack of action) and it is not good, we know we need to repent quickly. To turn around from what
we have been doing wrong. To stop going down the wrong road. We need to quickly turn around and see
the loving and forgiving face of Jesus beckoning us to follow Him and leave the wrong behind. When are heart does
not condemn us and our conscience is clear, we will have confidence in God. That means we can come to Him in assurance.
We can trust Him to hear our hearts cries and answer our prayers. (1 John 3:21) Why does God answer our prayers anyway? It is written out for us in several places in the scripture and
John gives it to us again in 1 John 3:22. Many people love to quote the first part of this verse because it's a wonderful promise! "And whatsoever
we ask, we receive of Him..." But, we can't stop there! Why will we receive from the Lord when we ask Him
for something? Well.... We need to remember to quote the whole verse. God will answer us because we keep His
commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. Even though the first part of 1 John 3:22 is many times quoted, the rest is oftentimes left out. God is certainly a loving Heavenly Father but, like
any parent, He wants obedient children. He wants us to grow up to look like Him. That is not possible if we
don't like what He likes and do what He says to do. His commandments are not burdensome. They may feel like
they are at times, yet, when we look back, we can see that He only gives commands that are for the good of His children!
So, do we sometimes wonder if God is answering our prayers? When we wonder, can we look closely at all of 1 John 3:22 with a clear conscience, knowing that we keep His commandments (which are all fulfilled in love) and that we are doing
what is pleasing in His sight? If so, we can know that, in due time, we will receive whatever we ask of Him.
That will be because our minds and hearts are set on Him and His desires (which are always good). It will be because
we have changed our desires and requests to be in line with His desires! That's why prayers are answered! 1 John 3:22 (KJV) 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You, Father, for
the blood of Jesus that cleanses from all sin and for the fact that He did not come to condemn the world but to save
those who would receive Him. Thank You for saving me and delivering me from condemnation. Thank You for
forgiving me when I turn to You in repentance. Help me to turn quickly. Thank You for Your answer
to all of my prayers! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 29, 2010 HOW TO LOVE 1 John 3:17-18 (KJV) 17 But whoso hath this
world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of
God in him? I must
confess that I have always thought of John as being the most loving of all the apostles. Reading through some his writings
again, I realize that he was loving, but not in a sloppy or sentimental way. He was a man of loving action.
He is the one that stayed by the cross and then took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his own home. Quite a sacrifice
to take care of another person's parent! Some of us have difficulty in graciously and compassionately caring for our
own parents when they begin to age! John did not just talk about love. He demonstrated it in
his own life! He did not just tell us where to get down to, "where the rubber meets the road."
He showed us how! Most of us that are reading this have a home, electricity, a computer, etc., etc.
Many in this world have nothing. We cannot save the whole world but we can use what we have to help a brother or sister
in the Lord when we are given the opportunity. Is there anyone around us who is not living as well as we are?
Do we have anything to contribute to their lives to make life easier for them? There are actually probably many opportunities
as we go about our business if we would just open our eyes. Don't we get our minds on our own agendas sometimes and
forget that God's agenda has to do with other people? Does God's compassion dwell within us? If it does not
(and it will show in deed and in truth), John rightfully wonders if God's love can be in us! It's not enough to
just say, "I love you," although that is a great start. Here's where, "the rubber meets the road."
Those words must be backed up and proven to be true by our actions! (1 John 3:18) I have missed many an opportunity to show compassion, although, in general, that is my desire. Looking back
on our lives we can look at our actions and be able to know that we belong to the Truth. Jesus went about doing
good. (Acts 10:38) Yes, Jesus taught and preached and cleansed the temple. All of that was good in its own way. But, He
didn't stop there. He healed those who were oppressed by the devil. He fed hungry people. It was His
practice to use some of the money supplied for His ministry and His own needs to help the poor. (John 13:29) That's just the way Jesus was. He went about doing good! His actions proved His words were true and
they proved that He belonged to His Father. So, He was confident before His Father, just as we can be confident
when we stand before God when we have walked our talk! (1 John 3:19) Finally, "in letters of crimson," as the song says, God wrote, "I love you," on a hill called
Calvary. It was then that Jesus stretched out His arms on an old rugged cross and said, "I love you this much."
Then He hung His head and died..... He proved His love in His the giving of Himself. By taking
action. We, who were poor in spirit, can now receive salvation and forgiveness! What opportunities are
in front of us today? Opportunities to back up our talk with our walk and give something of what we have to those less
fortunate? Good deeds certainly will not win us a ticket to Heaven; but they will show that God is living in us now.
They will show that we belong to the Truth. They will help us to be confident before God. And, they just might
help someone look up to Jesus when they see His compassion flowing out of us toward them! That's how to
love with God's love! James 2:15-16 (NLT) 15 Suppose
you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye
and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.
What good does that do? PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father,
fill me with Your compassion and help me express it somehow everyday, as I see those in need. I am so thankful for
all that You have given me! Help me to be like Your Son, Jesus, and go about doing good wherever, and whenever, You
present me with the opportunity! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 28, 2010 PASSED 1 John 3:14 (KJV) 14 We know that we have passed from death
unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Most of the time when we say that someone has, "passed,"
we are commonly speaking of the passing on of someone in death. However, I'm so glad that the Kingdom of God is upside
down, compared to this world's negative thinking about death! Here in 1 John 3:14, John says that we know that we have passed from death to life because we love others! When we don't love
others, John says that we make our dwelling place in death! Obviously, coffins and urns are not the only places that
we find dead people. There are lots of dead people walking. And, the sad truth is that some of them walk in
and out of our churches every Sunday! Normally, when we think of someone passing, it brings on a sense of grief.
But, there is not grief in this passing that John is speaking of. Only joy! We are walking around in a world
that is going to really pass away one day. It is a dying world. But we, my brothers and sisters in Christ, have
already passed. We have not passed from life to death, and we won't ever do that, because there is no more death for
us. Only passing from abundant life here to abundant and eternal life! Just a walk through the graveyard of this
world into the Paradise of being with Jesus and others who love unconditionally! Of course, there is the flip side
of this. We cannot pass from death to life if we do not love people! God is all about people. Honestly,
have you ever thought that this world would be a whole lot better without people in it?!? After all, people
are the ones who cause all of our disappointments and hurts, are they not? God knows that but He still loves people
anyway. We should be very glad about that sort of unconditional love because we, too, are, "people."
Even if we haven't meant to, we've caused hurt and distress in the lives of others. Maybe we have just decided to
live our lives as if those people who have hurt us are no longer alive, having no love in our hearts for them at all.
That doesn't work in God's Kingdom! He still loves them and, if they have done something really wrong, as long as
they are alive, He's giving them a chance to repent! That's pretty extravagant love! Part of the flip side of
1 John 3:14 is 1 John 3:15 where John, the loving apostle, says quite directly that if we hate someone else (no matter what they have done to
us), we are a murderer! Oh my! No unrepentant murderers will receive eternal life! Is there someone with
whom you need to be reconciled? If we do not love, that means we have not passed from death to life.
We're still dead people walking! John also makes it clear that, after this world, there is no eternal life if
we are not loving people. When we receive Jesus, we've got to love Him enough to love whom He loves. And, that's
everybody! Everyone will not receive that love, but everyone has the chance. (John 3:16) The loving apostle gets ever more direct as he goes on in 1 John 3:16. He lets us know that we can only recognize God's love because He laid down His life for us! Wow! That's
amazing and wonderful! God did something spectacular so we could recognize His love for us. Something agonizingly
sacrificial! Praise Him for His love toward us in this way! Here's the kicker..... the last part of 1 John 3:16 says that we ought to go and do the same! That's what real love does. It sacrifices for another, even for
an unlovely one (which we were when Jesus died for us). When we find ourselves living that way, we will know that we
have passed from death to life! No more death! Only the journey from abundant life here to eternal
life with Jesus! John 15:12-13 (KJV) 12 This
is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I am far from where You want me to be in loving others.
Help me to have such a heart of gratitude for the way You have loved me that I cannot help but look on others with that
same love! I can't do this by myself. I am so often critical and judgmental! I need Your strength.
I need You to walk with me, always flowing through me, so that I might touch others with Your love and so that they might
pass it along to others, just as You wish! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 27, 2010 THE MESSAGE FROM THE BEGINNING 1 John 3:11 (KJV) 11 For
this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. The theme of much of the Apostle, John's, writing is that of
love. Once again he is telling us over again about the message of love. He says that we have heard it from the
beginning. Some people today get tired when their pastors repeat things over and over again. But, the apostles
of old didn't tire of repeating things for their readers. Peter did. (2 Peter 1:12) Jude did. (Jude 1:5) Paul did. (Titus 3:1) John does several times. In a world that throws the word, "love," around very lightly, it is
good for us to be reminded, as John does here in 1 John 3:11 that we should be filled with love for one another. Then, John points out the end result of not loving one
another when he compares Cain with Abel. (1 John 3:12) Cain was the wicked one that killed his brother, Abel. He killed Abel because he knew Abel was righteous.
Cain was very angry with his brother because God accepted Abel's sacrifice but did not accept Cain's. (Genesis 4:3-5) Cain did not walk in obedience. He did not walk in righteousness. When Cain felt the pain of the
rejection of God for not being obedient, instead of working it out with God, he took Cain off into the field alone and murdered
him. (Genesis 4:8) Cain was jealous. Cain was angry. (Genesis 4:6-7) Jealousy and bitter anger have no place in a child of God. God doesn't leave us in the
dark any more than He left Cain in the dark. God wanted Cain to make the right decision voluntarily but Cain
chose to let sin master him. When sin is our master, we usually end up hurting other people instead of loving them.
It's interesting that Jesus said that, even if we are angry with a brother or a sister without a cause, such as Cain
was with Abel, we have already committed murder. We are not any better than Cain in that instance!
(Matthew 5:22) Even if we do have cause to be angry with another, God has told us exactly how to deal with it.
There are a few things we must do with anger. Matthew 5:23-24, indicates that God will not accept our offering, any more than He accepted Cain's offering, when we try to bring it
to Him when we know that someone is angry with us. God seems to value reconciliation much more than He values
the offering we want to bring. We are to leave the gift we wanted to offer at the altar and go and reconcile with that
one with whom we have the difference and then come back and make our offering to God. When we do try to reconcile,
we need to tell the truth to the other person. However, we the way we tell it will make all the difference.
It must be told in love! (Ephesians 4:15) Everything we say and do should stem from our love for God and then toward one another. Jesus was all about
gaining brothers and sisters, not eliminating them! (Matthew 18:15-17) He gives clear instructions that, if we have something against another, we should go to them first, alone.
That is the loving thing to do. That is the first thing to do. No prayer requests, no gossip, no playing the
martyr. I know, because I have done all of the wrong things at times! Jesus said that, if that person will hear
us, we will have gained a brother or sister. That's what the Lord wants. However, there will be times when
the other party will not hear us. We will come up against a stubborn heart. In that case, we're supposed to
take two or three witnesses and go to the offender again. Jesus is so compassionate that He gives everyone the opportunity
to make amends! If that doesn't work, we are to go before the church. Now, these are the loving things to do.
They came right from the mouth of Jesus! If the party in the wrong will not hear the church, finally, he or she will
be considered to be an unbeliever. Now, that's a lot of love extended! Lots of chances to get things right and
gain brothers and sisters in the Lord! John is reminding us that love should be at the center of everything we
do. Our God is so loving that He gives second, third and fourth chances, as evidenced by Jesus's way of
making things right among us and eliminating anger (which leads to murder). These loving ways of Jesus for dealing
with a relational problem are not the world's, "dog eat dog ways." Sadly, we may be looked down upon
by the world when we show real love in our dealings with each other. (1 John 3:13) Why? Because, just like Cain, they know down deep that their works are evil and that we, who follow
Christ, are righteous, just as Abel was righteous. Nevertheless, as Christ-followers, we are committed to remind
one another and to live lives of love, even when it means sacrifice. If we mind being reminded of this message
we have heard from the beginning, and it is a source of irritation, we are probably not acting in love because love
is not easily irritated! (1 Corinthians 13:5) 1 Corinthians 13:1 (NLT) 1 If
I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal. PRAYER FOCUS
FOR TODAY: Lord, help me never to tire of being reminded of the message that I have heard from You from the
beginning. Help me to love You with all of my heart and reach out with Your love to those round about me. Thank
You for loving me when I was (and sometimes still am) unlovely. Thank You for all the second, third, and fourth
chances You have given me to make things right with You. Thank You for the miracle of love that can change lives and
bring healing to our brokenness! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 26, 2010 RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LOVE 1 John 3:10 (KJV) 10 In
this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither
he that loveth not his brother. Unlike common opinion, the truth is that there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are children
of God and there are children of the devil. It's not hard to discern between the two! We can figure out who
is of God by watching their lives. We can figure out if we're children of God by taking a close look at our
own lives! Sometimes we may slip and need forgiveness and a helping hand up, but, in general, if we practice doing
right, according to God's Word, following His ways, we can know that we are of God. It will be manifested in our lives.
As we look around, we will relate to those who are also practicing righteousness. I noticed the Word of God says,
"practicing." When I practice singing or playing the piano, sometimes I don't do it just right but the key
is not to let those mistakes deter me from continuing to practice! Thank God, I have an Advocate (and so do you if
you have received Jesus), who will wipe those mistakes away and help me to go on practicing right living all of my life.
Practicing righteousness will prove that I'm a child of God; but there's another principle that must be in my life to give
proof that I am His child. I admit that many times I have fallen short of this principle but, as I get to know Jesus
(who is Love personified), I grow in the area of loving others. Sometimes others can seem downright mean
and unlovely - even those who call themselves, "Christians." Maybe they have just slipped and fallen.
Maybe they need a hand to help them up in the Name of Jesus. Jesus showed us how to love. Love is action and,
at times, it is sacrifice. It overlooks many wrongs and if it's real, it lasts forever! (1 Corinthians 13) John writes that, if we do not love one another, we are not of God! That's quite a powerful statement!
What if we did not treat that clerk in the store, who was less than efficient with love? What if that one on the road,
that we were so irritated with, was a brother or sister in the Lord? What if we are angry with our spouse or our children
and we don't act out of love? How many times are we given the opportunity to act in love toward another and we miss
it because we're so concerned about ourselves? What do all of these things indicate? Do they prove that we are
of God or of the devil? It is my earnest desire, as a mother that my children love one another and show it in their
interaction with one another. Our Father has that same desire for His children. Not only does He want us to
practice right living, He wants us to love one another! Are we doing these things? Romans 6:16 (KJV) 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves
servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
John 13:35 (KJV) 35 By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, please help me to keep on practicing righteousness.
Thank You for picking me up when I slip and fall. Thank You for helping me not to give up. Help me to love
others just as You love me! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 25, 2010 DON'T BE DECEIVED! 1 John 3:7 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous. It's
so easy to be led astray today. All we have to do is "go with the flow," blend in, be politically correct.....
The trouble with that is that is will lead us into a life of deception. We can't blend into society if we know Jesus.
He certainly did not blend in to the traditions and culture of His day! By the way, today is still His day
because He's the same yesterday, today, and forever! (Hebrews 13:8) It's still true today that, if anyone makes a practice of sinning, that person is of the devil (1 John 3:8) How's that for a politically incorrect statement? God said it, so it is true! The devil has not changed
either. According to God, the devil has sinned from the beginning and I have yet to see him repent!
Have you? No doubt, you have experienced him raise his ugly head against you in some way. If you have not, you
might want to check to be sure on who's side you are! The devil would love to kill, steal, and destroy anything, and everything,
in his sight but his favorite meal would be one of God's children. He hates it when we practice righteousness!
When we're sure we're on the side of Jesus, we have nothing to fear because the greater One lives in us. (1 John 4:4) God graciously sent His own Son to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8) The one whose sole purpose is to go about like a roaring lion trying to take the children of God down with him
has been defeated! But God.... The devil has no power over God's children unless we let him have it by inviting him
into our lives in choosing to habitually sinful in the things we think, say, do, watch, listen to, and join in with.
When we truly know Jesus, we will weed out the sinful habits in our lives, by His grace. We have the power to do that
because His seed remains in us Hopefully, everyone reading this today is born of God. (1 John 3:9) If you don't think you are, you can be born again right now, today! The journey to a totally sinless life
is not always easy. It's not easy to swim upstream or go against the flow, but we can do it and Jesus will give us
the strength. (Philippians 4:13) Although it may be difficult at times, as the old hymn says, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus."
The wonderful thing is that, if we have followed Him, we'll look just like Him when we meet! 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) 12 For
now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY:
Lord, I need Your strength moment by moment. Sometimes I get tired and lonely going against the current
flow in our world. Thank You for going against that flow for and with me so that sin can no more have dominion over
me! Keep me from being deceived and from deceiving. Thank you for being that greater One that lives within me! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 24, 2010 HABITUAL SIN OR HABITUAL RIGHTEOUSNESS? 1 John 3:4 (KJV) 4 Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. As born-again believers, we are in a process of becoming like
Jesus. Jesus was obviously sinless. Therefore, in this process, we are seeing that sin is not compatible with
our new life. When the Apostle, John, was writing to the believers of his day, there was a philosophy of dualism in
the world. False teachers believed that sin was insignificant. Therefore, the need for obedience was not really
a need at all. So, because John loved those to whom he ministered and love has trickled down to us today, he gives
a few reasons why we, because we are believers must not live lives of habitual sin. We are to increasingly learn the
truth as we dwell in Jesus and it is the truth that we know and obey that will set us free. (John 8:31-32, 36) When John says, "whosever commits sin," he is not saying that, unless we live a perfect life, we are lawless.
Instead, the word, "commits," has the idea of making sin a habit. A pattern of life. A life of continued
sin is a life of darkness and lawlessness. We, if we have believed, belong to Jesus. He is the Light! We
are walking in Him from faith to faith and glory to glory. Even from strength to strength! (Romans 1:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Psalm 84:7) If we say we don't have any sin, we are walking in darkness because that is not the truth in God's Word! (1 John 1:5-7) As we walk through the process of being made to be like Jesus, we will more and more be made aware by His Spirit,
of sinful things we might be saying or doing. When that awareness comes, we have the opportunity, because the Light
is in our lives, to repent and get back onto the right road. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin when we acknowledge
our sin and repent. (1 John 2:1) So, we will not let the devil beat us up with condemnation when we realize we have sinned. (Romans 8:1) If we are in Christ, there is no condemnation in us! But, we need to pay close attention to the Holy Spirit
when He convicts us of a sinful thing, repent of it, and begin to walk in newness of life in that area; all through the
grace of God! The Lord, through John, assures us that sin is lawlessness. The two greatest laws for us who believe,
are to love God and love one another. Jesus, Love Himself, was sent to earth in the body of a human being, but totally
without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) He came to take away our sins. (1 John 3:5) By faith, we have seen Him in the scriptures. We are learning to see Him more clearly every day
if we're abiding in Him. As we see and follow Him, our old patterns of sin are falling away. Let's not be found
among those who do not seek to see and know Him through His Word and prayer! Spending time looking at Him and getting
to know Him will keep us from walking in lawlessness and finding ourselves falling into a pattern of sin. Let's,
by God's grace and our decisions, live lives of habitual righteousness. 1 John 3:6 (KJV) 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not
seen him, neither known him. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I want to see You and know You so well that I will not want to walk in a pattern or
habit of sin. Draw me close to Yourself and Your love so that I may walk in it and spread it to others. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 23, 2010 BEHOLD HIS LOVE! 1 John 3:1-3 (KJV) 1 Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. I well remember the refrain from that old song, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."
It's too bad that apparently the writer of that song did not know that the world has been given more love than it can possibly
receive! As the Apostle, John, says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us.....!"
God has showered His incredible love on you and me (and anyone who will receive it). My husband is a quality assurance
engineer and I'm sure, after all the tests, checks, and audits, he would rate God's love to be of the highest quality!
God didn't just say to us, "I love you." No! Love is not just a noun, it's an action verb. God
did say, "I love you," but then He backed it up with His loving action. He gave the best
He had to save the worst of us and the best of us! Have you received that love today? I hope so because God says
that He gave His Son so that whosoever (that would be you or me or anyone) can believe in and receive
His Son and be saved. (John 3:16) Now that's a love that's proven with action! God gave His Son so that we
could become His children. I have heard it said that God planted a seed (Jesus) because He wanted a family. Right
now, if we have believed in and received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are the children of God. We are God's harvest.
We're in the family of God! We're in the process of being perfected. We don't know exactly what we will look like
when God is finished and we are thoroughly polished. But, we do know that, because we have looked steadfastly
at Gods great love, we will be made to look like Jesus! (1 John 3:2) When Jesus comes back we will see Him as He is and it will be like looking into a mirror! We
will be like Him! Behold the Father's love! It gives us hope in which we can rest. It purifies us
so that we will be pure, just like Jesus is pure! It makes us God's children. It's not that the world does not
have, "love, sweet love." It's that the world, at large, has not listened to John. God, through John's
writing, invites us to behold His great love toward us. It's a love that is waiting to receive, "whosoever
will." Are you one of those, "whosoever's who will? The world, in general, is not choosing to be a,
"whosoever who will." It doesn't acknowledge us as children of God because it doesn't acknowledge Jesus.
(1 John 3:1) Wouldn't you rather be acknowledged by God than acknowledged by the world? I would! Whether
we are just getting a first look at God's love or whether we're taking another look at it after years of following Him, it
is certainly something to behold! Something to receive. Something to cherish. Something for which
we can find so many reasons to give thanks! Behold the great love of the Father! He's given
it to us! John 3:3 (KJV) 3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Father, it's
difficult to find words of thanks for the great love you have given to me. Thank You for Jesus. Thank You
for sacrificing Your own perfect Son so that I could be made to be Your child. Thank You for working on me until
I look like Jesus. Help me, everyday, to behold anew the great love You have given me and help me to be
a vessel to spread that love in a way that others can behold it too! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 22, 2010 JESUS IS COMING, ARE YOU CONFIDENT? 1 John 2:28 (KJV) 28 And now,
little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
coming. The Apostle,
John, was oftentimes called the Apostle that Jesus loved. John was, according to what we read, a very loving person.
That comes across in his writings to the believers of his own day, as well as to us. You can really tell that he is
lovingly protective of us believers. He certainly doesn't want anyone to be led astray by false teachers who are under
the devil's control (sometimes unknowingly). John knew the secret of abiding in Jesus. He knew, from experience,
that abiding in Jesus is really the only way to truly live. He uses the phrase, "little children,"
here again. In my imagination, I see him as someone who is looking out for our best, the way a parent would do for
a child. John has no reason to doubt that Jesus will return because he heard it first-hand from Jesus, Himself!
Now, John is trying very diligently to see that we know the same thing and that we are living expectantly, knowing that
Jesus may come at any time. When Jesus does return, there will be no time to gather up confidence. No more time
to repent. That's why it's so important that we abide in Him all the time! That way, we will not be ashamed
when He comes. We will be confident. In fact, if we're abiding in Him, He will find us bearing fruit when He
comes back! Because His Spirit has given us an anointing to know the truth, He will not find us caught up on wrong
teachings. He will find us living righteously. Right-wisely, as they used to say. First, we need
to remember that Jesus is coming again! Secondly, because we know that it could be at any time, we must abide,
or have our dwelling place, in Him. Lastly, we must look around us and be aware of what is going on. We can
know that whoever is living a righteous life also has been born of the Spirit. This will enable us to have perfect
confidence and boldness when Jesus appears! We will have that, "Blessed Assurance," that the old hymn
speaks of. We won't have to shrink back or be ashamed. We need to encourage one another to be conformed to the
divine will of God, to operate in His will and purpose. We need to keep on reminding each other that it's not about
us but about God's ways of thinking and acting! That way, Jesus will find us eagerly awaiting His coming, being full
of confidence and assurance that we're going to be with Him forever! 1 John 2:29 (KJV) 29 If ye know that he is righteous,
ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, thank You that, because I am abiding in You,
I can be confident when You return again. Thank You that I will not have to shrink back in shame. Thank You
for showing me Your will and Your purpose in the scriptures and, thank You, Jesus, for being a model of God's
thoughts and actions here on earth. Help me to follow in Your footsteps and confidently walk with You right into eternity
when You come again! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 21, 2010 DON'T BE LED ASTRAY! 1 John 2:26 (KJV) 26 These things have
I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. Are there really those that would lead us astray? I'm sure there are or the Apostle, John,
would not have written 1 John 2:26! You may have even met some of those people! Most of the time they will not look like seducers.
They may even look like sheep, by all outward appearances, but inside they are wolves! (Matthew 7:15) Hungry and vicious wolves at that! They are being used by the evil one to try to steal, kill or destroy us!
(John 10:10) The word, "seduce, comes from a Greek word, part of the meaning of which is, to cause to roam
from safety, virtue and truth, according to Strong's Dictionary. This word comes from a root word having
to do with fraud! We have seen a lot of fraud in our world lately but, the sad thing is, there are also seducers
among us, no matter where we go to church! It should not be, but it is. The devil goes to church too!
In fact, he may like to go to church more than us "good Christians." There, he can fit himself right in and
look and talk the part, twisting the truth ever so slightly always seeking to trap one of God's children. That's his
goal. He doesn't need to work too hard in the world because he already has them in his dark kingdom. What
he would love to do is get one of God's chosen ones to succumb to his deceitful teachings. As we know from Adam and
Eve's experience in the garden and from the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Satan knows the scripture back and forth.
So, that might give us a clue as to why we should know it too! John knew that there would be seducers in
the church when he wrote to the Christians of his day and nothing has changed in our day, except that, just maybe,
the devil has had to get a little more slick in his ways. What John was trying to tell us is that we have an anointing
from the Holy Spirit, if we are believers. This anointing, if we will listen to it, will allow us to discern truth
from error so that we can spot a seductive teaching. The Spirit of God and the Word of God that we know teaches
us the truth. We don't have to be sucked in by the latest teaching that comes around the pike. We just need to
be in the Word! Jesus is the Word. Jesus is the Truth. It's His Spirit that teaches us
and, as John says, "that's no lie!" (Numbers 23:19) The essence of being taught by the anointing of the Holy Spirit is that we must abide in Him. When we wander
(which is one of the meanings of being seduced), we cause ourselves to be out from under God's umbrella of protection.
Let's purpose to remember that we have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit that abides in us. Let's
run everything we hear through the filter of His Word, which is the truth! Let's continually abide in Him, receiving
His protection, His virtue and His truth! 1 John 2:27 (KJV) 27 But the anointing which ye have received
of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and
is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, it is my heart's desire to remain in You, to
abide in You. Thank You for the anointing that comes from Your Holy Spirit so that I can discern between Your
teachings and those of false teachers. Keep me Lord, don't let me be seduced by the devil's minions. Thank You
that, as I abide in You, I have your protection, Your virtue, and Your truth! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 20,2 020 REMAIN AND RECEIVE 1 John 2:24 (KJV) 24 Let that therefore
abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you,
ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Have you ever noticed that when you are not in agreement with your spouse or your children, the atmosphere
of your home changes? It is much harder to make, "a house a home," if everyone is not in one accord!
In other words, it's harder to hold things together. Sometimes it's even hard to remain in that house! Jesus
said that a house divided against itself will fall. (Matthew 12:25) Our Father does not want any strife or division in His house! The way to keep that from coming about is to
do what John tells us to do in 1 John 2:24. We need to see that we are in the Word of God so that we know what to believe and how to order our lives.
When we find out what was told to us from the beginning in His Word, we have to remain in that Word. John says
that, if we do, we will remain in the Son and in the Father. There's no better place to be! The inference here
is that, if we don't remain in what we have learned from the Word, The Word will not remain in us. Jesus said in , John 14:23, that if anyone loves Him, they will obey His commandments. As we do that, He said we would abide with He and the
Father. Jesus also told us that we must remain in Him and He in us if we are going to bear fruit. No branch
can bear any fruit if it is not connected to a vine! (John 15:4-5) Jesus is that Vine. The prophet, Amos, asked this question: "Can two walk together unless
they be of one accord.." (Amos 3:3) Are we of one accord with Jesus and with the Word that is written for our encouragement and guidance in the scriptures?
We cannot be one with Jesus and follow after other teachings (of which there are many in the world in which we live).
There are not many ways to eternal life as the devil would have us to believe. There is only one
way. His Name is Jesus and we must follow after His Word and obey it. We've got to remain in it so that we will
receive the gift of eternal life. There are lots of teachings we can welcome and follow. But, 2 John 9-11 , warns us against following other teachings than the teaching of Christ. One translation says, "if anyone
runs ahead" and doesn't continue in the teachings of Christ and then follows that with dire consequences. The
Bible says we're not even to welcome these teachers into our midst. If we do, we will be sharing in that person's
wicked work! Scary! 2 Corinthians 6:14 says that righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common. So, let's remain in the Word (which is Jesus)
following only the teaching we find there. If we remain in that, John says we will receive eternal life. And,
that's a promise from God! Every one of His promises are true! (2 Corinthians 1:20) 1 John 2:25 (KVJ) 25 And this is the promise that
he hath promised us, even eternal life. PRAYER FOCUS FOR
TODAY: Lord, I need Your strength and discernment to remain in Your teaching and no other. Keep me close
to You. Cause me to be in agreement and obedience to Your commands. Help me to remain in all You have
taught me. Thank You that, when I remain, I will receive Your promise of eternal life!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 19, 2010 WHO IS A LIAR? 1 John 2:22 (KJV) 22 Who is a liar but
he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. I was disciplined by my parents many times
in my life but I don't remember the details of lots of those times. I do remember the details of one particular time
when I was quite young. I had taken the bark of a tree and thought it would be fun to tear it in little pieces and
see how many of those pieces I could fit in the keyhole for the lock on our front door. Of course, I didn't tell anyone
that I did it. But, one evening, after a family outing, my Dad tried to put the key in the keyhole and let us back
inside the house. Well, it was dark and he couldn't figure out why he couldn't get the key in the hole! I can't
remember how we finally got in the house but when the lights were turned on, my parents discovered the tree bark in the keyhole.
When they asked me about it, I lied. I told them the little boy next door did it. Well, I was thoroughly disciplined
and, I learned from that discipline, that it's not a good idea to be found to be a liar! The Apostle, John, is trying
to get us to know the Truth (Jesus) well enough to receive Him and be found to be one with both He and the Father.
But, in this world, we are faced with liars that can make us swerve from our faith if we are not well grounded enough to
spot a liar. Being a loving and kind person, John spells it out for us. Now we have no excuse for not being
able to spot a liar. It is obviously someone who denies that Jesus is the Son of God. In so doing, that person
is also denying the Father. Hopefully, none of us are in that position this morning. I would venture to say,
though, that we all know people who do not acknowledge Jesus. That's when we have to dig into our faith with our heels
and be steadfast. We can love the sinner, but we must hate and expose the sin! (Ephesians 4:15) As a child, I was punished pretty harshly. Not for putting the bark in the keyhole, but for lying about who
did it! Our Father does not like liars. In fact, He plans on punishing them and that punishment is more harsh
than we would like to have happen to anyone. (Revelation 21:8) So, let's be sure that we are not found to be liars and, when we come across those who are, let's be sure
we do not join in with them. Rather, let us be a living example of the Truth! (3 John 1:4) 1 John 2:23 (KJV) 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same
hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I am so thankful that You do not leave me in the dark
about knowing the difference between those who walk in the Truth and those who are liars. Help me to love the sinner
but hate the sin of not acknowledging Jesus. And, Lord, help me to live my life walking in the Truth.
Please use me to help turn those walking in bondage to the father of lies (Satan) to the Truth, Your Son, Jesus Christ! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 18, 2010 YOU ARE ANOINTED! 1 John 2:20-21 (KJV) 20 But ye have
an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. Have you ever heard a singer sing a long with perfect pitch and excellent musicianship? Maybe you
were amazed at their seamless, "performance." There's nothing wrong with that. We should all strive
to be the best we can at whatever we do! When we hear things that are done with perfection, we react to the talent
or the ability. But, have you ever heard a singer sing a song that wasn't up to your idea of vocal perfection.
Maybe they didn't really even "look the part." When the singer starts, you may even think to yourself,
"This is going to be bad." However, before the end of the song, you find yourself with tears in your eyes
and your heart a bit softer! Why does this happen? Because ability is different than anointing. We all
need to foster our ability and work on perfecting what we do. But, for us to be ministers instead of just performers,
we need the anointing from the Holy One. That's what John calls, "unction." Whether we sing or do something
else, our reliance should be on the anointing of the Lord and not on our own ability! What a promise! We, if
we have received Jesus as our Savior, have an anointing upon us. And, it's straight from Him! It's an anointing
to discern good from bad and also to overcome evil with good. John says he didn't tell us this because we don't know
the truth. It's because we do know the Truth (who is Jesus), that John is reminding us that there is something
that comes from knowing Him. It's powerful! It's amazing. It's anointing! It helps us stay balanced
in a world that is filled with untruth! It helps us discern things that otherwise might slip by us and cause us
to slip and fall! Strong's Dictionary says it is an endowment from the Holy Spirit. The root of this word, "unction,"
means to smear or rub with oil - to anoint! I remember that my mother used to have an ointment that she would
put on my cuts and scrapes called, "Unguentine." Wow! It stopped the hurt and the infection.
The word, "unguent," is exactly what the word, "anoint," means. We
have a Heavenly anointing that will protect us from the lies and deceptions of this world that would cause us hurt!
Oh my, isn't God the most wonderful God! He soothes, protects, and calms His children, sharing His truth with us and
anointing us to do the same with others! He smears us all over with His anointing! I could jump right out of
my seat right now. I hope you feel the same way. Never forget, if you know Jesus, you have an anointing
from Him. Thank Him for it and go out and use it for Him in whatever your work on earth is! Spread it on
someone else too when you find the hurt and broken! We have an anointing to know the truth and to pass it along!
The truth that we know will surely set us free. (John 8:36) Jesus IS the Truth! Go for it, children of God, you are anointed! 1 John 2:21 (KVJ) 21 I have not written unto you because
ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I am so amazed at your Word. Different parts
just jump out for me all the time! Help me to be ever grateful that You have smeared me with the oil of Yourself.
Thank You for your soothing, Your teaching, Your protecting, Your providing, Your loving of this one who was unlovely!
Thank you for healing all my wounds with your anointing and for leaving that anointing on me so that I might spread it to
others who are hurting and don't know where to turn. Help me to always hold up the Truth through the power of
Your anointing on me! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 17, 2010 MANY ANTICHRISTS 1 John 2:18 (KJV) 18 Little
children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby
we know that it is the last time. There's a lot of talk today (and there has been for many years) about the antichrist. While
there will be one evil one that will come at the end of the age in the power of Satan, there are lots of little ones in the
world today and they are all around us! The word, "anti," can mean both, "in place of or instead
of," and, "in opposition to." If we just take a look around us today, taking a peak inside
our schools, our offices, our reading materials, the movies we watch, the music we listen to, the news we follow, and
even our churches, we are bound to come across an antichrist, if not many of them! It's not hard to find
them nowadays. Why? Because we do live in the last time. That's what John is saying here. He's addressing
us as little children again because he doesn't want to lose any of his spiritual children to the deceitfulness of any
of the many antichrists. Think about it. How many people in the public eye and who have leadership positions
of some kind, are in opposition to Christ? Check out the list above. If they are not in exact opposition to
Christ, how many put themselves or some other guru in the place of Christ in their lives? What will happen if we follow
the philosophy and beliefs of these little antichrists? We will become deceived too! So, we have to know that
we live in a time where we need to be wary and be totally grounded in the Word of God and in our faith. There has
been a, "falling away," described by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. If you don't believe that, look at the public schools today. How many children do you find that have Godly
teaching at home? I find that many small children don't even know who Jesus is! Some think it's okay to
go to church on Easter, but only because they want to show off a new dress. This is not the fault of the children.
This is because there has been a general falling away from the principles of the Word. And, what about the violence
in the schools? When our children are told that they cannot pray in school, is that not in opposition to
Christ and to His Word where were admonished to, "pray without ceasing"? (1 Thessalonians 5:17) As one commentary mentioned, these words were written long ago by John. After two thousand years, we might
be falling asleep, not really believing Jesus will come again, ignoring the fact that these truly are the last times.
Maybe we've fallen into the trap of being politically correct and not objecting to people being against Christ or putting
other things in the place of Christ. What if we brought that up close and personal? Have we ever put anyone
or anything in the place of Christ in our lives? Have we or do we ever do things that are opposed to Christ and
His teachings? If so, that would make us what? Let us stay wide awake and be doing the will of Christ even though
it might feel like we're swimming upstream! He is coming back again and we don't want to be found among the ones
who looked like they were a part of the Body but left. There is more than one way to leave. When the fire
of the Lord in us begins to cool off, we leave ourselves wide open to the deceptions of the antichrists all around us and,
if we're not extremely careful, we will become lukewarm. Jesus said something about those people. Although He
doesn't call them antichrists, He might as well because He says that He will vomit them out of His mouth! What a loving
and patient Savior we have! He gives us every opportunity to wake up, get up, and speak up for Him. Yes, there
is opposition, but then He had great opposition too. Are we willing to be a force of holy Light against the darkness
of the antichrists that surround us on every side? Many of the people who have become deceived and are now deceivers had
their beginnings in the church! But, now their true colors are showing. Let us who remain rise up in love
and truth for the true Christ and all He has done for us and continues to do for us!
1 John 2:19 (KJV) 19 They went
out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went
out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I do believe that You will return to earth and that
the signs of the times point to the fact that it may be soon. Regardless of that, I want to be found safely and securely
within Your Body, standing for Your Word and serving You. I want to be a light in the dark world where so many antichrists
are threatening to put out the Light. Thank You that Your light will remain steadfast. Please help me to remain
steadfast in my faith also until You return for Your own. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 16, 2010 LOVE THAT NEVER ENDS 1 John 2:15 (KJV) 15 Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. As a child, I remember watching the Disney
movies. I especially loved the, "happily ever after," stories! As I got older, I actually remember
being mad at Disney for portraying things that were not true. They were just fairy-tales. There never would
be a "prince charming," that could fix everything in my life. That was not reality. Still, something
in me longed for a "happy ever after," life. My mistake was that I looked for that story with a human being.
My expectations of others and of myself were very high. Finally, I got a clue, thanks to the Holy Spirit! I needed
to look up instead of outward. It was there I would find a, "Prince." He would be charming and He
could fix everything that was wrong with me and my life. Not only that, I could (and now do) have my, "happy ever
after," story! I was in love with the world and the things of this world, even the fairy tales that told me I
could find the perfect mate and have the perfect children, etc., etc. I thought I was loving but I wasn't complete.
John said that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. That sounds critical at first, but it's really
an encouragement because there is no love like the love of the Father and He wants you and me to have His love! Everything
in this world system has to do with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (1 John 2:16) These things can bring a moment of happiness but they don't last! They don't constitute a, "happy
ever after," story. God so desires to give us good gifts - gifts that will last for more than a life-time.
A truly, "happy ever after," life with Him! We just have to look higher than the things of this world.
This morning, look to your Father in Heaven and look for His love. It is always reaching for you. And one day
the, "Prince," will come back ushering us into a, "happy ever after," perfect eternity. In the
meantime, spread the Father's love to everyone you see! You'll be amazed at the results! This reminds me of
a folk song, some of the lyrics, as follows: " 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'Tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, 'And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the
valley of love and delight." We will be in that place now and forever when we receive the gift of the
Father's love and share it; when we're set free by the Son to love others too. Now, that's truly love that never ends! 1 John 2:17 (KJV) 17
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
I confess that I have not looked high enough in my desire for a, "happy ever after," story. Help me
to keep looking up to You, receiving Your love, and passing it along to others who also want a, "happy ever after story."
Thank you for the gift of Yourself; the gift of a never ending Love, a love so much higher and more marvelous
than anything this world has to offer! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 15, 2010 COVERING ALL THE BASES 1 John 2:13 (KJV) 13 I
write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have
overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. Aren't you glad that God never leaves anyone out? If we
don't come to Him or if we don't know His Word, it's not because He has not done everything He can to get us to acknowledge
Him and receive His Word! He loved the world so much that He gave the most valuable thing He had, His Son, that
anyone who would could have the opportunity to receive Him and be saved! (John 3:16) In 1 John 2:13, John is not leaving anyone out either. The Lord writes to all of us here, no matter what our biological age
or spiritual age is, a note of encouragement. To the fathers, John says, because they have known Him that is from the
beginning. This could mean that they have always known God and it could mean that they have recognized the Father
in Jesus, or both. In any case, these are the very well-grounded believers. John also writes to the young people
(in the time of John's writing, some commentaries say that speaking in the masculine gender included both genders).
John writes to the younger people (these could be young in age or in spiritual age, or both). Do you think John
realizes that they are at their prime in strength, but also very vulnerable in the area of temptation? I do.
These are the ones who overcome the wicked one by knowing the Word, rightly dividing it and speaking it, just as Jesus did,
when He was accosted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1-11) Then John writes once again to little children. He has already done this once in 1 John 2:1, but we all know how it is with little children. They need more reassurance and they need to be taught over and over
again so that the things of God will be cemented in their minds! This time, he is writing to the children because they
have come to know the Father. What an adventure they have in front of them as they grow from children, to young men
and women, to those seasoned, well-grounded elders! We could ask ourselves where we might fit into these categories
but maybe it would be better to realize that God knows where we are and just what we need in the way of encouragement at
every stage of the game. Sometimes we might find ourselves being children, other times in the throes of temptation
and in spiritual warfare and, yet still other times, well-grounded and able to help a child or young person! In the
Person of the Word (Jesus) and the written Word, God has all the bases covered for us. We just have to agree to show
up for the game. Whether, we're on first, second, or third base, He's ready to make sure we make it to Home base!
(Isaiah 64:4) 1 John 2:14 (KJV) 14
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto
you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Oh Lord,
thank You that You have provided for everything I need that pertains to life and Godliness in Your Word and by Your Spirit.
Thank you that, in this game of life, no matter where I am at the moment, You've got me covered and Your desire is that I
grow in You. Help me to do that and thank You for covering all the bases as I make my way Home to You! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 14, 2010 WE'RE FORGIVEN! 1 John 2:12 (KJV) 12 I write unto you,
little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. Perhaps John was very elderly when he wrote the letter of 1 John. It was a circular letter that went
around to all the churches and, obviously, it was for us today, since it is in the scriptures. Certainly, John had
a great deal of influence on the lives of many and he, most likely, had numerous spiritual children. He addresses
his, "children," in 1 John 2:1, 2:12, and 1 John 2:13. In 1 John 2:12, he says he writes, "dear children," because we are forgiven of our sins for Jesus's Name's sake.
Knowing that we are forgiven of our sins is elemental in our faith. It's the milk of the Word. If we don't
believe that Jesus is able and, indeed, did (and) does forgive our sins, we cannot grow in Him! We will constantly
be wondering if we are good enough. We will live in the past, haunted by those mistakes we have made that we cannot
change. The fact is that nobody is good enough! Everyone has sinned. Nobody
measures up to God's standard. (Romans 3:23) But, we can't stop there and let the enemy beat us up with accusations, trying to stunt our spiritual growth and
leave us as babies or young children in Christ. We've got to take hold of the fact that our sins are washed away
by the blood of Jesus and God chooses never to look at them again! (Psalm 103:12) We receive that gift of the forgiveness of all of our sin when we believe that the blood of Jesus was the supreme
sacrifice once and for all. (Hebrews 10:10) We are now justified. Some say, "just," as if we had never sinned! If we don't know
that our sins are forgiven, we may appear to be humble by saying that we are just, "an old sinner."
However, we are really disagreeing with God when we do that and casting a disparaging light on His Word which says that
we are forgiven! So, this morning let's enjoy the freedom of forgiveness, let's receive it just like little
children gleefully receive a piece of candy. Let's walk in that freedom and begin to experience spiritual growth as
we go from the basic elements of our faith to learn more about, and become more like, the One Who forgave us of all
of those sins! Hebrews 5:13 (KJV) 13 For
every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You for the
ABC's of faith, Father. Thank You for forgiving my sins by the blood of Jesus. Help me to remember that
all my sins are forgiven. Thank You for my spiritual childhood. Help me now to grow up in
You. Thank You for your willingness to grow us up if we will just receive the basics of faith and continue
walking with you, the Righteous One. Help me to be skilled in Your righteousness! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 13, 2010 IF YOU SAY IT, BE SURE YOU'RE IN IT! 1 John 2:9 (KJV) 9 He
that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. What do you do when someone hurts or offends you? We have
a choice. We can let the hurt or offense go. Or, we can hang on to it and build on it. I happen to
be a person that is not fond of the darkness. My first job in the morning is to turn on every light in the house if
there is no sunshine. But, what about spiritual darkness? If I choose to hold grudges and build on them
(and I have done that in the past), I will find that I am not really walking my talk! If I say that I walk in the light
(the light of Jesus), I can't be weighed down with hurts, offenses, grudges, or a critical spirit. If I do let
these things take root in my heart, I can say that I am in the light over and over again; but my light will, at best, be
very dim because all of those things foster hatred against another when they are kept and nurtured. We can't say that
we belong to the Lord and not love what He loves. It's not even what He loves. It's whom
He loves! He loves people! He loved us all so much that He gave His Son to die so that He could have restored
relationship with any of us who are willing. We're in one accord with God when we love others and we abide in His
light. When you have light, you can see where you're going and you're not likely to stumble! (1 John 2:10) So, it's a good time to ask ourselves if we are harboring any hatred toward another. If so, we need to let
it go and let forgiveness free us to walk in the light. Otherwise, we will find ourselves saying we are in the
light but walking in complete darkness, blinded by hatred. We are sure to stumble because we won't be able to see
where we're going. Personally, I love the light. I don't like to stumble and get hurt. And,
I certainly don't want to be spiritually blind! I doubt if you do either. So, let's make
a little check of our hearts this morning to be sure we don't hold any hatred for another! If we say that we're in
the Light, let's be sure that we are really in it! 1 John 2:11 (KJV) 11 But
he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness
hath blinded his eyes. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Open my eyes today Lord. If I am holding any bitterness, unforgiveness, offense, grudge,
or critical spirit in my heart, reveal it with Your light and rid me of it, filling that space with Your light. Thank
You for giving me Your light so that I can walk through this world without stumbling and falling! Please give me Your
love for those around me. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 12, 2010 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW 1 John 2:7 (KJV) 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment
unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from
the beginning. Can
something be both old and new at the same time? It doesn't sound too logical; but, in this case, it can be.
The Apostle, John, said that he was not going to write a new commandment, but an old commandment. He lets us know
that this old commandment is a word we have had from the beginning. What commandment is this? How can it be old
and new at the same time? (John says, in 1 John 2:8, immediately after saying he is not going to write a new commandment, "again, a new commandment I write unto you.....")
The commandment is to love one another. This is a commandment that we see very near the beginning of the Bible.
(Leviticus 19:18) It is from the Lord because He is the Lord. John, being Jewish, knew the scripture from
the Old Testament, as did most of those he was writing to at the time. This love we are to have for one another
is implied in the last part of the ten commandments. (Exodus 20:12-17) Those who had received Christ also knew this scripture because they had heard Jesus tell them
that the first and greatest commandment was to love the Lord completely and the second was like it. What was the
second greatest commandment? It was, to love one's neighbor as oneself. (Mark 12:29-31) In fact, we know that the ten commandments are fulfilled only by love. So, this commandment that
John writes is truly old. But, it is also new! It becomes new to me every day. Maybe it is the same for
you. That's the way it was with the first believers. These commandments were fulfilled in the life of Jesus,
who is the Light. The new believers back then, and even today, are experiencing the flooding of the true Light
shining in their hearts. The darkness is gone! It's because of Love! As the Light shines brighter and brighter
in our hearts and lives, the darkness fades away. With each moment of increasing light, we realize more and more
just how much God loves us, we love God more, and we love one another more! As this old commandment becomes
new, we are moved to service and we become more and more like the Light that is in us. More like Jesus. Out
of our love flows acts of service, both to God and to others. We begin to appreciate others more and
love makes its way into action. Jesus set the perfect example when He washed the feet of His disciples, even though
He knew He was getting ready to go to the cross. (John 13:1-17) Is the new commandment to love one another becoming more real to you as your experience with Christ unfolds?
John said that this love, that was (and is) true in Christ, is also true in us because the darkness is gone and the true
Light now shines. Can people see it (Him) shining through us? Even though this command is growing older everyday,
it is also becoming newer everyday as we receive more and more revelation of God's love for us and His will for us to love
one another! 1 John 2:8 (KJV) 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto
you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
Your love is unconditional, amazing, and revealing. It has been there from the beginning; but it is
new every day! Thank You for loving me when I was unlovable and giving me Your love to pass on to others!
Thank You for letting me see others more and more in Your light and helping me to fulfill this old commandment in new
ways every day! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 11, 2010 KEEPING AND WALKING 1 John 2:5-6 (KJV) 5
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. Are you like me? I'm trying to go through
some of my things, sort and delete, if necessary. But, it's amazing how many things I have to go through! Needless
to say, I am blessed above measure with books, CD's, clothes, etc. I have so many books that I nnow have them in
stacks on the floor trying to decide which ones I want to keep and read again and which ones I want to give away or sell.
Among all of those books are many copies of the Bible in various paraphrases and translations and tons of Bible study books!
It's quite an impressive collection, if I do say so myself! I don't intend to throw any of those Bibles away or get
rid of them (unless the Lord prompts me to give one to a certain individual). However, just because they make a great
show on my bookshelf and I keep them there, it doesn't mean that I am keeping His Word! All of those verses
in the Bible need to be planted in my heart. And, even that's not enough! I can learn to spout off scriptures
on any subject. The trouble is that the enemy can do that too! But, we know that he does not keep
God's Word. Far from it! It's not good enough to know the Word, we must keep it, applying it to all situations,
relationships, and circumstances in our lives. When you really love someone, you desire to be like them.
You spend time with them and learn their ways. Pretty soon you might even start to walk like they do, going places
they like to go and doing what they like to do. That's the way it is with our relationship with Jesus. He is
the Word. He is the One who knocks on our heart's door and asks if we will open the door and let Him come in.
(Revelation 3:20) If we have let Him in, we will most likely listen to His Word as He speaks. Because we love Him (and
who can resist Him when you really get to know Him), we keep His Word. Not because we have to. Because we want
to. We start wanting to walk with Him and walk like Him, don't we? Even though it's a process and we may not
be where we want to be yet, if we have started keeping His Word and walking like Him, we are on our way to being a demonstration
of God's love perfected! What an awesome privilege! Among all the things that we keep, are we keeping His Word?
And how is our walk? Is Jesus pleased because we walk as He walks in our world today? If we are doing these things,
God's love will be completed in us, accomplished, finished, and fulfilled. It will be consummated in our character.
That's how we know that we are in Him and that He abides in us. And, that's how the world will know and see God's love
perfected! 1 John 2:6 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as
he walked. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
thank You for Your love which is demonstrated in those who keep your Word and walk like you walked! Help me to
rid my heart of everything else and fill it with Your Word. Make my feet to walk as You walked. In
everything I say, everything I do, and everywhere I go, make me a demonstration of our Father's love perfected to those
in my life and those in the world around me. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 10, 2010 HOW DO WE KNOW? 1 John 2:3 (KJV) 3 And
hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Since the time I was young, I have had a problem with love. I have always felt lacking in love even
though I feel very loving in my heart. I used to relate so well to the song from, "Jesus Christ, Superstar,"
that was sung by the character playing Mary Magdalene. Singing of Jesus, she sang, "I don't know how to love
Him." That's exactly the way I felt. Maybe for at least a couple of reasons. One reason was that somehow,
during my upbringing, I got the idea that you had to be good enough to be loved. Even though I practiced hard to be
a, "good girl," I never felt good enough. What I didn't quite get was that God loved me, not because
I was good enough, but because Jesus was more than good enough! If I didn't get enough "A's," in school,
I felt less than worthy. If I wasn't the best at everything I tried, I just knew that I was not lovable.
Much of my view about love was performance based. Consequently, I developed a very critical spirit. Of course,
this affected all my relationships. The worst part was that it affected my relationship with the Lord and with my
own self! Real love was definitely lacking! Finally, after too many years, I began to get it. Praise
God, as long as we have breath, it is never to late to get a word and revelation from our loving Heavenly Father.
It's very simple. We can know that we that we know Jesus if we keep His commandments. Since Jesus
and the Father are one, if we know Jesus, we know the Father. And, He is love. (1 John 4:8) Rules and religion somehow played a large part in my younger days but, really, I knew there was more.
I had a longing for relationship instead of religion. Real relationship from which love automatically would spring.
Jesus told us that, if we loved Him, we would keep His commandments. (John 14:15) That almost sounds like Jesus is into rules. Yet, there is something deeper. The very first commandment
from God was that we should love Him with our whole being. Jesus said that the second one was like it. He
wanted us to love our neighbor just as we love ourselves. Next, Jesus made an astounding declaration. Basically,
it is that, if we do these two things, we will not break a single rule! (Matthew 22:34-40) Our Father wants us to be just like He is. Filled with love. He wants love to be the essence
of our being. We can't try hard enough to make that happen! I know. I tried. We can only
love because He loved us first. (1 John 4:19) Even when we were unlovely. (Romans 5:6-8) Do you know that you know that you know Jesus today? Do you know that you love Him? Do you know that His
love for you is not based on your performance or your ability to follow and keep all the rules? His love for you is
based on what He did for you and me at the cross. There He paid for all of our imperfections and released us
from rules to bring us back into a relationship with the Father - with Love, Himself. Now,
we know we don't keep His commandments to obtain His love. We will keep them because we know how much He
loves us. In so doing, out of a heart of love, we will find ourselves at rest in the Arms of Love, keeping His
commandments, not for His love, but because of His love. How do we know that we know Jesus?
We will find ourselves operating in His way. What is His way? It is the way of love.
1 John 2:4 (KJV) 4
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, help
me today to cease striving for love and striving to be loved. Help me to rest in the fact that You love me and, because
You loved me enough to give Your only Son for me, I can trust You and love You in return. Give me a fresh revelation
of Your love for me so that I will love you so much that my thoughts and actions will be like Yours. Help
me to love others, not holding them to a set of rules and regulations, but demonstrating Your unconditional love. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 9, 2010 WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE 1 John 2:1 (KJV) 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Have you ever had that sinking feeling when you said or did something
and then realized that you had totally missed the mark? You sinned! You didn't really plan to do it, but you
slipped. Of course, the accuser of the brethren, Satan, is right there to bring condemnation upon you if he possibly
can. (Revelation 12:10) The purpose of the enemy is to get us to feel that we cannot be forgiven. That we have fallen once too often.
Or, that we have fallen too far this time. That God is finished with us. That's just not true! (Proverbs 24:16) If we have been forgiven for the ultimate sin of not believing in Jesus, and received Him as Lord and Savior,
there is no condemnation in us at all! (Romans 8;1) We are now walking after the Spirit. We are not in our former pattern of walking according to our flesh.
We are in a process of being transformed to the image of Christ by having our minds renewed by His Word.
(Romans 12:2) When the Apostle, John, wrote 1 John 2:1, he was most likely a very elderly man who had mentored many new believers. That's probably why he is addressing 1 John 2:1 to his, "little children." Everyone knows little children trip and fall on occasion. Instead
of pushing our face down in the mud, Jesus bends down to pick us up when we cry out to Him, in repentance. He may convict
us so that we will not be prone to sin again; but He will not condemn us. On the contrary, He is our Advocate. He
is, in effect, our legal counselor before the courts of Heaven. He is the only One qualified to take our case because
He lived an earthly life free from sin. But, not only is He qualified, He is willing and even desirous to obtain
our acquittal (which He does quite handily). When we become a believer, our desire is to keep from sinning.
Earlier in the Book of 1 John, John wrote that we must confess our sin, knowing that Jesus is faithful and just to
forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But, because we live in this world, we will, at one
time or another, slip in the mud. One commentary says that the words, "if any man sin," actually
mean, "when anyone sins." There are all kinds of sins. Some of them are so hidden that
we don't even see them (until the Lord reveals them to us). (Psalm 32:5) If only we could see just how much the Father loves us in that He gave His perfect Son so that we would
not have to bear the pain of our cuts and scrapes from falling into sin in this world! Jesus is always interceding
for us and He is the Personal sacrifice and atonement for all those times that we have missed the mark, not quite measuring
up to God's standard. (Hebrews 7:25) You and I, if we are believers, have an Advocate. This is the same Greek Word used to describe the Holy
Spirit! He's not only an Advocate to plead, and win, our case before the Father. He is also our Comforter
in all of our weakness! So, the next time the enemy tries to keep you down because you have slipped, confess your
sin to the Lord, know that Jesus is on your side, ask for forgiveness and keep on going, being comforted by the Spirit who
will get you right back on the right track! 1 John 2:1 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not
for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, thank You that you are my Advocate and my Comforter
when I slip and fall. Help me to turn completely from deliberate sin and cleanse me from hidden sin. Thank you
for convicting me so that I might turn to You and receive forgiveness. Help me to remember that, because I am in You,
there is no condemnation in me. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 8, 2010 DON'T CALL YOUR DADDY A LIAR! 1 John 1:10 (KJV) 10 If
we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. When my children were young, they had a habit of calling me a, "goof." It was something
they heard on TV and it was the equivalent of being a dummy or, maybe a nerd. Anyway, this greatly irritated my husband,
who would say in his gruffest voice, "Don't call your mother a goof!" That became a famous imitation
by all the kids. When my husband was not around, I could sometimes hear them from the other room saying (in the
gruffest voice they could muster), "Don't call your mother a goof!" Then there would be laughter. I
even laughed! However, they stopped calling me a goof, even in fun. John says in 1 John 1:10 that we are capable of calling our Father a liar! Oh my! What a disgrace to call the One who created
the world, yet allows us to call Him, "Daddy," a liar. (Romans 8:15) We don't have to come right out and say, "Father, You're a liar." We effectively call Him a
liar by what we say about ourselves. While God, our Abba Father, loves us with an everlasting love, He still knows
(and we should know and admit) that we have sinned. In our day in age, the word, "sin," is pretty much outdated
and it's use is frowned upon by many, even in the church. People don't like to admit that they have sinned. Yet,
Daddy says that we have all sinned! If we go around saying that we have not sinned, not only are
we not telling the truth, we are calling our Daddy a liar. If we say that we haven't sinned, His word is not in us!
There is no excuse for sin. We can't wipe it away by ourselves by saying that we never did it! But, the
Word (His name is Jesus) can free us from sin. (John 1:1) Do you know people that say that they have not sinned? If so, the Bible plainly states that the Word is not
in them! Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector? (Luke 18:10-14) The Pharisee was pretty pleased with himself. He simply overlooked his own sin and looked down upon the tax
collector who was on his knees repenting, fully realizing and admitting that he was far from perfect. The tax collector asked
for forgiveness and he received it. The Pharisee went back home deceived. It's true, he looked good
on the outside, but his words proved that he was calling his Daddy a liar. Daddy doesn't appreciate being called
a liar. The Pharisee did not stand a chance in the world of forgiveness and blessing but the sinful tax collector
was repentant and he was forgiven. He was in total agreement with His Daddy about the fact that he had sinned!
What do our words say about our Daddy? Do we, by saying that we have not sinned, call Daddy a liar? I hope not! Romans 3:23-24 (KJV) 23 For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, I would never want to call You a liar! Help
me to walk in agreement with you by admitting my sin, repenting and asking for Your gift of forgiveness. Thank You
that You justify me freely by Your grace through the gift of redemption by the blood of Jesus! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 7, 2010 JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE 1 John 1:8 (KJV) 8 If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. We live in a world that is dominated by secular humanism. Many have shoved God into the background,
placed Him in a box of their own making, or totally denied His existence! Everything is relative these days.
But, God has not changed His mind. He's not of the, "If it feels good, do it." persuasion. In His
eyes, sin is sin! His Word carefully lays out for us just what sin is. He gave Moses the Ten Commandments to
give to the people so that they could see just what sin looks like. He wanted them to know that they could not possibly
keep the commandments without Him. Without His love. He wanted them to put away their ideas and follow His.
Today, people pretty much do what they want to do and rationalize it because they feel that they are, "good,"
people. You'd be surprised at how many people think they're really good people even though they live their daily lives
in a pattern of breaking God's commandments. As a little girl in the 1950's, I used to like to watch, "Dragnet,"
on TV. The star, Jack Webb, played Sargent Joe Friday. He had a famous saying when he interviewed
women who wanted to go on and on about their perception of things. "Just the facts, ma'am!" The show
would start out with the words, "The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed
to protect the innocent." Well, really, there are no innocent people in the world! And that's the truth. There
are no innocent people to protect, only sinners for whom Christ died. (Romans 3:23) We need to look just at the facts. We've all sinned. The good news is that we can be made righteous
when we receive the forgiveness of Jesus by the cleansing of His blood. Then we will have a new name. We'll
be a part of God's family. And, we will be innocent. Saved by grace! If we say we have not
sinned, that's just not the truth! We don't have to deceive ourselves because the fact is that Jesus has
died and rose again to save those who will admit that they have sinned and not walk in self-deceit. This story is true
because God said it! Sin is still sin. But, we can be forgiven and receive the righteousness of Christ! Those
are, "just the facts!"
1 John 1:9 PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, I confess that I have sinned and come short of pleasing You.
Thank You for being a God of forgiveness and new beginnings. Thank You for cleansing me from all unrighteousness
and changing my name from sinner to saint by the blood of Jesus! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 6, 2010 STEPPING IN THE LIGHT 1 John 1:6 (KJV) 6 If
we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: I
have a dear sister-in-the Lord, who is now at Home with the Savior who used to fellowship with me wherever I went!
We moved three times during her lifetime and, even though we were no longer members of the church where we met her, she
kept in touch with cards of encouragement and love. We were not close, close friends. But, we did have fellowship
with the Lord and with each other. I thank God for the memory of her cards that would come in the mail when I was
lonely after moving to a new place. I thank God for her e-mails of fellowship. With her life, she shed the Light
of Jesus into the lives of others. Her favorite song to quote was, "Stepping in the Light." John wrote
that if we say we have fellowship with Jesus, but walk in the darkness, we lie! Those are pretty strong words.
What is fellowship? It is partnership, participation with, and social interaction with another. Since Jesus is
the Light, we can't really have true fellowship with Him if we insist upon walking in the darkness! (Amos 3:3) When John talks about darkness, he is referring to the darkness of sin. The same darkness
that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6:23 Here, Jesus was talking about our heart being where our treasure is. Is our Treasure
the Light of the world? Or, are our hearts bound to the things of this world that take us captive?
I realize that I do not fellowship enough with Jesus or with others! I often find myself, "busy," taking
care of my blessings instead of being a blessing to the Lord and to others! However, there is hope! The Light
that is in us, as believers, will continue to shine, directing us in paths of righteousness. It will turn our
hearts toward the Giver of the blessings instead of the blessings, themselves! There is a song that goes
like this: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely
dim in the light of His glory and grace." I notice it says that the things of this earth will grow strangely
dim, not the people of this earth! Do we have real fellowship with Jesus? My Dad used to be
upset because I always had to be on the move. He would constantly say, "Just sit down with me." I
wonder if that is what our Father is saying to us. That's fellowship at it's most intimate level. And, what about
the people around us? Are we sensitive to their needs for love, attention and compassion? Walking in the
Light is both sitting with, and doing, for Jesus and others. So, do we say we walk in the Light but still insist in
walking in darkness? Nothing beats walking in the Light where we have wonderful communication and partnership with
Jesus and with others! This would not be possible if Jesus had not shed His blood for our redemption. That was
a very high cost on His part so we could have fellowship in the Light! As we continue to walk in His light, we
are continually cleansed from our sins. Let's graciously receive the opportunity! May God find us all,
"Stepping in the Light." 1 John 1:7 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord,
please help me today to walk my talk. If I claim that You, the Light of the world, are in me, help me to walk in Your
light and shed the light upon those around me. Thank You for your willingness to pay the supreme cost so that I could
have my sins forgiven and have true fellowship with You and with others! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 5, 2010 MY LIGHT 1 John 1:5 (KJV) 5 This then is the message which we have
heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. I had read 1 John 1:5 several times. If you have been a believer for any time at all, you probably have read it many times too.
We know these things in our heads, but it is much different when we experience such things in our everyday life! It
was dark and cold in that hospital room, several years ago. I was alone. But, not really. I was shaking
and my skin was cold as ice. Fear was beginning to overtake me. I had been admitted to the hospital with
double-pneumonia for which they could not find a cause. IV's were dripping antibiotics, and anti-viral's into my veins
in effort to bring a cure for whatever was causing the disease. I could not get a breath. Couldn't cough or
talk. As I got colder and colder and the room seemed to be getting darker and darker, I was sure this would be my end.
In the Bible, we read of many times when Jesus shows up, suddenly. Well, this night, I had a, "suddenly,"
experience and 1 John 5:7 became fabulously real to me! In the midst of the darkness, I was suddenly surrounded by a golden light.
It was warm and soothing. I knew I was not alone. I heard a voice in my heart saying, "You are my child
and there is no darkness in you." Instantly, I was comforted and my fears fled. My body became toasty warm
and I went to sleep till morning. When I awoke, the doctor came into the room declaring that I had gotten better but
he didn't know how. I told him that I knew how! When the doctors of earth could not do the job, the Great Physician
visited me. He brought His light with Him. He also assured me that, because I am His child, His light is already
in me. Even though that room was pitch black, there was no darkness at all when Jesus manifested Himself as my Light!
You know, God is not a respecter of persons. As the song says, "It is no secret what God can do. What
He's done for others, He'll do for you." Right now there may be places that feel dark in your life but, if
you're His child, there is no darkness in you either. Because when God sees you He sees Jesus, who is the Light.
It matters not whether you're in a cold, dark hospital room or the darkness of grief. It doesn't matter if there seems
to be darkness in your financial situation or whether your children seem to be walking in darkness. The Light has
come! His Name is Jesus. You can call on Him and His light will flood your heart and your situation! Yes,
I will never forget that He is my Light! Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, thank You that Your light has invaded my heart
and life. Help me to remember that Jesus is the Word and that Your Word (Your Son) is a lamp for
my feet and a light to my path in this life. Thank You for the "suddenly's," in life when your light is
so evident to me! Thank You that Your Light will never, ever fade away or burn out! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 4, 2010 MY JOY IS FULL, IS YOURS? 1 John 1:4 (KJV) 4 And
these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. Just in case you think I am saying that I am happy with all of the circumstances in my life, let me make
it clear that I am not always happy with my circumstances! Do I have financial challenges? Yes! But, my
joy comes in knowing that Jesus has promised to meet my every need if I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
(Matthew 6:33) Do I get confused as to what to do next in life? Sometimes. And, that can be frustrating and cause unhappiness.
But, my joy is full! That's because I know the primary thing to do. Jesus said to go and make disciples
all over the world and teach others to observe what He said. So, my joy is full, knowing that I can do this at the
market, from the computer, on a plane, or anywhere I find myself! (Matthew 28:20) Do I have physical challenges and pain. Yes, I have those things too! Some days are harder
than others. But, my joy is full, knowing that Jesus is my Great Physician. Sometimes I am disappointed and unhappy
with doctors but my joy remains full because I'm under the care of the Great Physician and He has purchased my healing!
(1 Peter 2:24) I might add that the worst sickness is sin-sickness and the greatest miracle of healing is when Jesus, by His blood,
washes away the disease of sin! Are there loved ones in my life who just don't seem to, "get it," when
it comes to making Jesus the Lord of their lives? Yes. I have that situation too. Do I grieve at times
because I see them walking in the wrong direction? Of course! But, at the same time, my joy is full.
I know that it is not the will of God that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9). Perhaps Jesus has delayed His coming again just so your loved one or my loved one would have time to repent
and be ready! John was excited when he wrote 1 John 1:3. I can just feel it between the lines. He was writing so you and I could know that he had really seen and touched
the Jesus that you and I see and touch only by faith today. John was full of joy because of his experience of being
in the presence of Jesus.. When we're full of joy, don't we just want everyone else to be full of it too? I think
that's why John was writing here. His desire was that our joy, like his, would be full! He's not talking about
all the muck we have to walk through on earth. That can certainly make us unhappy, at times, with our circumstances.
But, underneath it all, Jesus is our joy. He has given us His joy! We know that God is a God of new beginnings
and second chances. Despite everyday problems and setbacks, my joy is full, is yours? John 15:11 (AMP) 11
I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of
full measure and complete and overflowing. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Thank You, Lord, for giving the Apostle, John, the opportunity
to see You in person and touch You with his hands. Thank You for John's willingness to spread the joy of his
experience to me today so that, by faith, I can see You and touch You. So that I, too, can be filled with the joy that
You have given me. Help me to receive it today, all day, in every circumstance! MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 3, 2010 CAN YOU SEE AND TOUCH BY FAITH? 1 John 1:1 (KJV) 1 That which was from
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
of the Word of life; There
are lots of things we believe, just because someone else has told us about them. For instance, many historical things
have happened and we believe them through the words and stories of those who actually experienced them. So it is with
the Apostle, John. He and the other disciples who walked with Jesus actually saw Him with their eyes! They touched
Him with their hands! John is telling us about their experience so we might believe by faith. There
was one disciple who refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, even though the others had told him. His name
was Thomas. Jesus was patient with Thomas. He made a special appearance just so Thomas could see Him with his
own eyes and touch Him with his own hands. But that appearance has the implication of a rebuke for Thomas in it.
Could there be a slight nudging there for us too in some area of our life? Jesus asks Thomas, "Do you believe
now? Do you trust now? Do you have faith now?" What could Thomas say?
He could do nothing but believe because he had seen Jesus with his eyes and touched Him with his hands! (John 20:29) Thomas probably should have listened to his fellow-disciples, but he may have been a very practical man with the
mindset that, "seeing is believing?" As with so much of the scripture, I find that Kingdom principles are
just the opposite of man's ideas. For us who believe, "believing is seeing", not the other way around.
We trust God, by faith, to manifest Himself in our lives through answered prayer. We know He can do it.
(Hebrews 11:1) Our faith is the evidence of things we believe. Just in case you are that practical (sometimes called
doubting) Thomas, don't be afraid to ask God to prove Himself to you. (Malachi 3:10) But, be prepared! God already knows what you and I need before we even ask Him! (Matthew 6:8) The truth is that He is able to do a whole lot more than what we can even think to ask! (Ephesians 3:20) All through scripture, we see opportunities to obey God, have faith in Him, and trust Him before we actually
see our prayers manifested. In this case, we can trust the testimony of John and the other disciples. We, by faith,
handle the Word of Life every day when we read His Word and commune with Him in prayer. He is the Word.
(John 1:1) He is from the beginning and forever will be. He is now! Do we believe now? Do we trust
Him now? Do we have faith now? If so, Jesus said that we are blessed! Even though we have not seen Him
with our physical eyes or touched Him with our physical hands, we have seen Him and touched Him by faith! What is the
result? We are blessed! John 20:29 (AMP) 29 Jesus
said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and to be envied
are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, thank
You that I can see You and touch You through Your Word every day and that I can keep Your Word in my heart so that I will
not stray away from You. Thank you for the blessing of faith and the testimony of those who have gone before us. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 2, 2010 NOT
JUST ANY GRACE Philippians 4:23 (KJV) 23 The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen This
morning, as I write, I am thinking of all of you who will read this. That's what the Apostle, Paul, was thinking about
when he penned, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Philippians 4:23. While he was writing to the Philippian believers, he was also writing to all who would
read his letter to them in the scripture down through the ages! I really doubt whether Paul knew his writing would
have such an impact on the world! So, we might want to think about our own actions, words, and writings. We
don't know what a lasting impact they will have! In closing his letter, Paul wanted to leave the readers with something
lasting and comforting. He could not be with them because he was in prison. But, he could pronounce upon them a
blessing; and that's just what he did! His blessing was that grace would be with all of them. The grace he blessed
them with was not just any old grace. Certainly, it was not cheap grace. It was the grace of the
Lord Jesus. Their Lord, Jesus. Our Lord, Jesus. The blessing of Paul was that God would place His
divine influence in the hearts of all believers. That God would grant favor to all believers. That the hearts
of believers would follow God's leading and that they would be thankful, reflecting on His goodness through life.
Surely, this grace that comes from God is not just any grace. The very first definition in the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary for, "grace," is: a: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or
sanctification b: a virtue coming from God c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace. There are other usages for, "grace, but the first definition is about divine grace. The grace of
God comes to us through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) You and I, as believers are
justified by the grace of Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24) We don't deserve it because we
have all sinned. (Romans 3:23) Yet, the love of God for us, and His desire that our hearts might be opened to His divine influence, caused Him
to give His only, and perfect, Son to die in our stead. Now, by His Spirit, we have God's divine influence upon our
hearts! How amazing that God would give of His best, the best of Heaven, so that our hearts would be open to
His influence! That is what "Amazing Grace," is all about. It's not just any grace.
It's God's amazing grace. It's the grace that causes God to look past our faults and failures (sin), and see Jesus
in us. It's the grace that influences our hearts every day to help us to follow Jesus closer than the day before.
This grace is not just amazing. It was costly for God. He gave His all for us. Can we do less than give
back to Him? Will we give our all because we have been blessed by the amazing grace of God? Will we, like the
Apostle, Paul, bless others by imparting the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, to them? Grace has given us salvation
but it is also something that works through us every day, in every situation; if we will let it. It's God's
divine influence upon our hearts, making us to look more and more like Jesus! It's not just any grace.
It is the grace purchased for you and me by Jesus with His death, burial and resurrection. It comes from His spilled
blood. It truly is a unique and amazing grace! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all who
read this and may it spill over to all those around you! Amen! 1 Corinthians 1:4-5 (AMP) 4 I thank
my God at all times for you because of the grace (the favor and spiritual blessing) of God which was bestowed on you in Christ
Jesus, 5 [So] that in Him in every respect you were enriched, in full
power and readiness of speech [to speak of your faith] and complete knowledge and illumination [to give you full insight
into its meaning]. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Father, thank You for our Lord Jesus, for His life, death, and resurrection, to purchase the
grace that I now enjoy. Thank You, Jesus, for Your saving and sustaining grace that comes through Your
Holy Spirit to influence my heart and bring me God's favor! Help me to speak the blessing of Your grace to those
around me, just as God did, through Paul, to me. MORNING MANNA - NOVEMBER 1, 2010 ALL AND EVERY! Philippians 4:21 (KJV) 21 Salute
every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. "Onward Christian Soldiers!" I remember singing that hymn as a child. So, when I
read, "salute," every saint..... in Philippians 4:21, the image that came to mind was that of one soldier saluting another as a show of respect. I love surprises, especially
when they come from the Lord. When I looked up the word, "salute," in the Strong's Dictionary, I found that
my image was completely wrong! The word, "salute," has to do with union! What it really denotes is,
"to enfold in the arms.". It can also mean to greet and to embrace. And, it can be used to say, "good-bye."
So, my image of this term, as being rather militaristic, was not exactly right! How awesome to see that it is a term
that could carry with it the desire of the Lord that all of His people walk in unity! (John 17:11) That's exactly what Jesus prayed for before He left this earth! The Apostle, Paul, tells the Philippian
believers to salute every saint in Christ Jesus! Then he tells the Philippian believers that
all the saints salute them. It's interesting that he does not designate specific churches or groups of followers
of Christ (saints). He says, all! When he does become specific, he speaks of a household, rather than
the name of a local church. (Philippians 4:22) Some of us have a problem with the word, "saint," thinking that it is a man-designated title. But,
it is not! A saint is a believer and follower of Christ. So, my friend, if you are a believer, you are
a saint. God says so! I get very sad sometimes when I see the, "saints," gather into cliques (called
denominations, or non-denominations, or movements). I remember that Paul was kind of perturbed at this behavior too.
People back then began to name themselves after the man the followed, instead of remembering and declaring that
they were all of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:12) No matter what denomination we may attend, we are, first and foremost, followers of Christ! He has people in
all of the denominations, non-denominations, and movements all over the world. They may not all look like us,
come from the same culture, have the same language, or agree with us on every little point. But, those who agree that Jesus
is Lord, and follow His Word, are all saints, no matter what the sign over their meeting building says! What
do you ask someone about themselves when you are just beginning to know them? Do you ask whether they are a Baptist,
Methodist, Charismatic, etc.? And, does their answer affect the way you see them? Or, do you look for the Jesus
in them? No matter what church group we attend, Paul talks about saluting every saint and says that
all saints salute us! Why are there divisions among those of us who believe in Jesus? Is
it that we are not looking past the denominational (or non-denominational) sign on the door and lifting our heads
to look at the Head of the Body, who is Jesus? That includes everyone and all those who confess that He is Lord
and believe in their hearts that He is raised from the dead, continuing to follow His Word ,as they go through life.
Are we there yet? Can we look past insignificant differences among us and start enfolding one another in our arms
so that the Body of Christ can operate effectively? So that His Kingdom, which is inside every one of us, will come
in this world? (Luke 11:2) Jesus wanted us all to become one in Him. We can do that when we keep our eyes on
Him and not on our differences! 2 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) 12 Greet
one another with an holy kiss. 13 All the saints salute you. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, help
me to recognize You in all believers, no matter what their denomination, race, gender, and culture might be. Help
me to be a part of allowing Your Kingdom to unite on earth by becoming one with and, "saluting," every believer
and all believers, disregarding minor differences and focusing on You! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 30, 2010 THE CIRCLE OF GIVING Philippians 4:19 (KJV) 19 But
my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Many of us know Philippians 4:19 and it is quoted quite a bit in Christian circles. Even if you are not a Christian, someone may have tried to
comfort you with the saying that God will supply all of your need. However, sometimes I think we forget the context
in which the Apostle, Paul, writes. God is not our sugar-daddy. Yes. He loves to give good gifts to His
children. (Matthew 7:11) Jesus compares our Heavenly Father with us, as parents. If we are a truly loving parent, it will be our desire
to give our children everything we possibly can. But, the truth is that sometimes we cannot do that. Not because
we don't have the desire. Not because we don't have the resources. It's because our children have been
disobedient! We all know and appreciate God's grace. That's when He gives us something we don't deserve.
The greatest gift of grace is the gift of salvation. Jesus died for us while we were still disobedient.
We didn't deserve it. God gave it anyway! Now that we are under His grace, we can't do anything to earn
more grace, but we do need to learn to become obedient children! We need to become, not just saved, but disciples of
Jesus. A disciple is someone who has been taught by another and has learned to be disciplined. The Philippian believers
were not overly rich. For them to give to Paul was a sacrifice. (Philippians 4:18) Because their motives were pure and they reached out to Paul with an offering just as soon as they possibly could,
God considered their sacrifice as well pleasing. It was like sweet perfume to Him. So, like any parent who is
happy with their child's progress, God rewarded the Philippian believers with a promise. How wonderful it is
that all of God's promises are yes, and amen! (2 Corinthians 1:20) But, let me go back to the context in which this promise was made. Why did God make such a promise?
Because the Philippian believers operated in love. Their motives were pure, so far as we know. They had
compassion for Paul. Their desire was to generously supply his needs in prison. These were the people that
received the promise. The promise that God would supply all of their needs according to His riches in Christ
Jesus. They had sacrificially supplied Paul's needs and, because of their graciousness in wanting to do that,
God promised that they would not lack either. Giving makes a full circle. It goes from the Philippians to the Lord,
through Paul, and comes right back from the Lord to the Philippians! God has not promised to meet all of our needs
if we are not need-suppliers, ourselves. But, He has promised to supply all of our needs in Christ Jesus when we, like
the Philippian believers, look with compassion and love on the needs of another and reach out to meet them, joyfully.
Where are you in the circle of giving? Philippians 4:19 is not just a haphazard promise from God. It is a promise with a purpose. When the conditions are met,
the purpose will be fulfilled. Everyone will have their needs met by God! Yes! God uses people! How
privileged we are to be included in His circle of giving!! Luke 6:38 (KJV) 38 Give,
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your
bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank You, Lord, for including me in Your circle of giving. Please
help me to look upon the needs of others and give as though I were putting it right into Your hand. Thank You for Your
promise to meet all of my needs when I follow You. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 29, 2010 A FRAGRANT SACRIFICE Philippians 4:18 (KJV) 18
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you,
an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. Maybe you're like me and you really enjoy sweet-smelling things. Well, our God is fond
of sweet-smelling things too! Right in the beginning of His Word, it says that the Lord smelled a sweet fragrance when
Noah made a burnt offering to Him after the ark landed on dry ground. It was a new beginning for Noah and his
family and Noah remembered God with a sacrifice. (Genesis 8:21) When God smelled the sweet savor, He determined to never again curse the ground because of the sins
of man. Soon after God made this decision, he put the rainbow in the sky as a token of the covenant He had made with
Noah (and us). (Genesis 9:13) Yes, God does like the sweet fragrance of sacrifice! God's pleasure in the sweet savor,
or smell, of a sacrifice is mentioned again in Exodus 29:18. God asks the priests to sacrifice to Him and He lets them know that He likes the sweet smell
of it. (As believers, we are priests. - Revelation 1:6, 5:10) Again, it is mentioned in Leviticus 2:12 regarding the firstfruits offering that the Lord asks of the people. Though this offering is not
to be burnt, it is still for a sweet savor, or pleasant fragrance to God. Again it is mentioned in Numbers 15:10. When we get to the New Testament, we find Mary in John 12:3. She took a pound of spikenard, which was a very costly sacrifice for her, and anointed the feet
of Jesus. When she did that, the whole house was filled with the fragrance. Jesus was the recipient
of the costly ointment of spikenard but all those around got to smell the sweet odor too! Jesus was just about
to give Himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God for us and, in Ephesians 5:2, it says that Jesus and His sacrifice of Himself were a sweet smelling savor to God. Just like
the animal sacrifices of old! Interestingly enough, we, as believers, are the sweet smell of Christ to those
that are saved. Those who know Christ think we smell really good! Those who don't know Him, unfortunately, do
not appreciate our perfume. To them, we smell like death. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) As we relinquish more and more of ourselves to the Lord, we smell better and better to Him
and to those around us who will believe in Jesus. We become a life-giving fragrance. A perfume that is
so costly and unique that it cannot be purchased with money! Interestingly, the Apostle, Paul, congratulates
and encourages the Philippian believers because their sacrifice for his needs is a sweet smelling sacrifice which is
acceptable and well-pleasing to God. Yes! God does love the sweet smell of a fragrant, joyful, voluntarily
given, sacrifice! What does your perfume smell like? Does it have that heavenly, sweet smell of sacrifice to
the Lord and for the good of others? Do you think sacrifices like this come from walking in love, just as Jesus
did? Just as He was a fragrant sacrifice for us to God, so we can be a fragrant perfume of sacrifice back to God
and for others! PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY:
Lord, thank You for teaching me about sweet-smelling sacrifices and for sending Jesus to be a sweet-smelling sacrifice to
You, just for me. Help me to walk through life being sweet-smelling before You and those around me. Let me constantly
bring before You the sweet-smelling sacrifice of praise! (Hebrews 13:15) MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 28, 2010 NEVERTHELESS Philippians 4:14 (KJV) 14 Notwithstanding
ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Don't you admire the Apostle, Paul, for his strength in learning to be content in every situation?
For knowing how to live in lack and humility and how to live when exalted and with abundance? It seems like he has
it altogether with his God, doesn't it? That's right where I want to be and I'm sure you do too! There is a,
"nevertheless," to this story though. Even though Paul had learned to be content, even when writing
from prison, not knowing exactly how his needs were going to be met, he was still interested in the blessing that others
might receive because they had helped him when they could. Our relationship with the Lord should be just as secure
as Paul's relationship with the Lord was. But, it can't end there. On this earth, we will all find ourselves
in need in some area. It could be emotional, spiritual, or financial. We will have some need! Yes,
God does supply all of our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus! (Philippians 4:19) But, as I like to say, God uses people. When people are willing to be used of God by giving to others they
receive a blessing from God. Paul knew that God would provide for him somehow, even if the Philippian believers did
not contribute to his welfare in prison. Yet, Paul said to them, "You did well to help me out when I needed
it." Paul was able to receive a blessing from the Philippian believers with joy and, without shame, because Paul
knew that the same God who provided for his needs would provide for the needs of the believers that reached out to
him with help. I have a dear friend who always reminds me that I like to say, "God uses people." I
have been in places where I needed help and she is always there to generously give of her love, her prayers, her
time, and even extravagant gifts. I have to admit that I find it hard to receive so much. Yet, like Paul, I'm
convinced that God is going to bless her many times over for what she has given to me in times of need (sometimes she
has given to me, "just because"). While Paul did not need anyone but God to help him in his time of
need, he knew that the Philippians would be greatly blessed because of their care and assistance. He didn't want to
deny them such a blessing. He wanted them to have that blessing! So, aside from the fact that Paul was
secure in the Lord and His provision, Paul received the gifts from the Philippians and told them that they had done a good
job! I'm sure Paul was secure in the knowledge that his gracious acceptance of the gift would result in their
great blessing from the Lord. Whether or not we have the great faith of Paul concerning God's provision, are we willing
to graciously receive gifts, as well as give them, so that we can all share in God's blessings? Paul was very secure
in the Lord. Nevertheless, he honored the Philippians, and God, by receiving their gift so that they could
be blessed! Philippians 4:15-17 (NLT) v15 As
you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then
traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica
you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want
a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, help me to receive from others, as well as
give to others for your sake, so that we all might be abundantly blessed by You. Thank You for working through people! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 27, 2010 HE STRENGTHENS US! Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Have you ever felt inadequate? Like you didn't quite measure up? Or, have you ever felt weak
and unsure about whether you could complete a task that lies in front of you? I'm so glad that I don't have to count
on my own strength to live out this life on earth, with all of its challenges! When I am weak, that is the perfect
time for my perfect Lord to show Himself strong! (2 Corinthians 12:10) The Apostle, Paul, said that he took pleasure in the challenges of life because when he was weak, then he was strong.
That may sound like it makes no sense. It doesn't make sense to the one who doesn't know Jesus as Savior and
Lord. But, to Paul, it made perfect sense. When he was at his weakest, Jesus poured His own strength in.
When we're full of ourselves and our own strength, there is no room left for the strength of Jesus. We may think we're
strong but, in reality, we are weak and frail. (Psalm 103:14) Instead of exalting himself (he had all the credentials necessary to do so), Paul admitted his total weakness.
(2 Corinthians 12:9) In fact, Paul was happy knowing that he was weak because, then, the power of Christ could rest upon him. Are
you weak in any way today? If so, and if we admit our weaknesses to the Lord, the power of Christ will rest upon us.
We will be able to do that which He has called us to do when we, otherwise in our own strength, could not! I
know this because the Word tells me it is so. I also know it from experience. There's nothing greater than going
into a project, knowing you can't possibly do it and then coming out on the other side, finished because Christ gave you
the strength to get through! The prophet, Joel, saw the time when the weak would say that they were strong. (Joel 3:10) We used to sing a popular worship song that said, "And now let the weak say, 'I am strong because of what the Lord
has done for us.'" That is exactly what Joel and Paul have said in the scriptures! Jesus tells us that His
strength is made perfect in our weakness. I'm pretty weak so I'm excited that I'm a great candidate for God to show
His strength. God rarely calls those who consider themselves strong enough and with the best qualifications.
Instead he calls the weak and gives them strength and many times calls the unqualified and then qualifies them Himself!
Who else but God can take an ordinary, weak person and do, in and through them, out of the ordinary and mighty things? 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 (KJV) 26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble,
are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound
the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord,
when I feel weak, let me be like Paul and consider it a joy, knowing it is the perfect opportunity for You to show Yourself
strong. Thank you for bending down to give strength to the weak and weary. I receive that strength right now
and give You the glory! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 26, 2010 DO YOU KNOW HOW? Philippians 4:12 (KJV) 12 I know both how to be
abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to
abound and to suffer need. It's interesting how life has its ups
and downs. One day we may be well off and the next day, things may look a lot different. I heard of an acquaintance
that was feeling great one day and ended up in the hospital the next day. No warning! The Apostle, Paul, knew
how to be abased and how to abound. Quite a difference there. Paul must have learned, (through learning
to be content in every situation - Philippians 4:11) to know how to be abased and how to abound! Do we know how? What does it mean to be abased?
According to the Strong's Dictionary it means to depress. It is used to describe, figuratively, humiliation (in condition
or heart). Have you ever been depressed? Some Christians would say that we, as believers, should never be depressed.
But the fact is that sometimes we are! It's what we do with it when it happens that counts. Paul knew how to
be abased. Do we know how? In our world, the key seems to be to sell yourself or make yourself known.
In short, to exalt yourself. However, Matthew 23:12 does not seem to give that advice. Jesus said that whoever exalted himself (or herself) would be brought down
but whoever humbled (abased) himself (or herself) would be exalted. Do we know how to bring ourselves low or deal with
the low times in life? At the other end of the spectrum is abundance. That is, to abound. This can be
in quality or quantity. It can mean to superabound! Believe it or not, it is just as hard to know how to deal
with super abundance as it is to deal with abasement! Both have their temptations. Watching a man of God, like
Paul, helps us to know that we can know both how to be abased and how to abound. Paul said that everywhere
and in all things he knew both how to be humbled and to operate in superabundance. Do we know how to
do this or do we complain when we're abased and get haughty or self-sufficient when we abound. Bound up in one short
verse is a lifetime of learning! We serve a God who never changes. (Malachi 3:6) Like Paul, we will do well to learn and then know how to operate in any situation and condition, never
letting the circumstance change our stance in and for the Lord. James 1:9-10 (AMP) 9 Let the
brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],
10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human
frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, help my faith in You to be strong
so that I know how to be abased and to abound no matter where I am or in what situation I find myself. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 25, 2010 I'M STILL LEARNING! Philippians 4:11 (KJV) 11
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. No matter what our station in life, we all
have wants, don't we? If we can't think of anything we want, all we have to do is watch TV for a while, look through
our junk mail, or read a magazine. They will all tell us what we want! Hopefully, we will not buy into all of
those things. I must admit that I have done that sometimes and found that I really did not want that thing
at all. It ends up somewhere in the back of a closet or at the Good Will! I must also admit that I have never
been in prison (thank God). I do not know what it means to be locked up in a prison where personal needs are not met.
That's the way it was in Paul's day when he was in prison. Prisoners had to have friends or family to bring them the
necessities of life. However, if I was in prison, unable to fend for myself in obtaining my wants (and in Paul's case,
his needs), I would not be a happy camper. I would hope that I would speak as Paul spoke. I hope I would not
complain about my wants, but I'm still in a process and, to tell you the truth, I don't think I'm quite there yet!
How about you? I have some learning to complete in the area of being content, no matter what. God has blessed
me abundantly and, even though sometimes I think I want something, I really do not need anything!
I have been in many different financial situations in life and many types of housing. I know what it is to be on welfare
and have the electric company come knocking on your door demanding payment or threatening to turn off the electricity.
I know what it is to have four children to feed and no food in the house. Yet, I also know my God. He has never
failed me, even in those circumstances. In fact, He has given me a wonderful husband who has provided, through God's
grace for me, much more than I needed! I've spent the years of my life riding the roller coaster up and down, but in
it all, God was always the same! Still, I often complained, both in the lean years and the prosperous years.
Paul was sitting in prison. His fellow-believers in Philippi had wanted to help but found it impossible until this
time. But, even in a prison, Paul is assuring them that he has not been in want! Why? Because Paul had
learned to be content in every situation! I'm still learning! Are you? Why could Paul be content
in every situation, no matter what the circumstances looked like? Because he knew His God well. He knew that
God is always faithful. (Psalm 119:90) How can I learn to be content in all situations? I can know that God is faithful! Even when I am faithless,
God does not change. Because God does not change, I can change, knowing that my contentment is not
in my circumstances but in His unfailing love and provision. I'm still learning! Are you? 2 Timothy 2:13 (AMP) 13 If we are faithless [do
not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny
Himself. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, please help me to learn to be content as I remember that Godliness, with contentment, is
great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6) Thank You that I can be content because You never will be, unfaithful to me. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 24, 2010 YOU WANTED TO BUT YOU COULDN'T Philippians 4:10 (KJV) 10 But I rejoiced in
the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked
opportunity. I
remember once driving down a road and seeing a person in the median with a sign asking for money, food, or some
work. I wanted to help out, but before I could get my window down and find some cash, the traffic started up again
keeping me from doing what my heart told me to do. It made me very sad. Have you ever wanted to do something
for someone but didn't have the opportunity or the resources? That happens to me every day. There are so many
people in our world that are in circumstances that are much worse than our own! The Apostle, Paul, was in prison
and he had some needs. But, as he wrote to the Philippian believers, he was now rejoicing because they had been
able to help him. Did Paul hold it against the Philippians because, at first, they were unable to help him?
I don't believe so. I think Paul, like God, saw the heart of the Philippian believers, but realized that they did not
have the opportunity to help him. I don't believe it changed his love for them at all. Neither does it change
God's love for us if we are unable to meet another's needs for one reason or another. Today, there is a lot of
talk about unresolved guilt. The Philippians could have beat themselves over the head for not being
able to help earlier. But, perhaps they had the concept down in their hearts that they were not under condemnation
because they were in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) Even though they could not help at first, they were walking in Christ Jesus and their heart
was right. Instead of short-circuiting themselves with guilt, they waited for the time when they could do something
and they did it. This caused Paul to rejoice. He also explained to them that he understood that they had
wanted to help, but they previously could not. Paul was trusting, not in others to give him a helping
hand, but in the God of provision. That enabled him to continue to pray for and love those in Philippi, no matter
what. God saw the heart of the believers in Philippi and, in His time, He provided the opportunity for them
to help Paul. Have you ever wanted to do something for someone but found that you could not? God sees your heart.
Do not feel condemned. Just wait for God's timing and, in the meantime, help where you can. You will
be able to give others reason to rejoice. But, remember this. God is rejoicing over you right now with singing.
Listen to His song and follow along. You're sure to bless somebody! Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV) 17 The LORD
thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will
joy over thee with singing. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I so often want to help others but find myself unable to do what I want to do
for them. Thank You for seeing my heart and helping me to do, today, whatever I can, knowing that You see
my heart and you, like Paul, are rejoicing over me! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 23, 2010 THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU! Philippians 4:9 (KJV) 9 Those
things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Everyone is looking for peace these days,
aren't they? World peace. Peace in schools. Peace in the marketplace. Peace in churches. Peace
in our families. Peace within ourselves. What if we could have the God of peace with us all the time?
Well, we can! The Apostle, Paul, has told us to think about things that have to do with God. (Philippians 4:8) That's a good start because we become what we think about! Now, Paul is telling us that there are some conditions
for us to meet, but we can experience the presence of the God of peace! I read a Facebook post today
that said something like, "If we can't find peace within ourselves, it is pointless to look for it elsewhere."
We can find peace within ourselves. But, that peace does not come from ourselves. It comes from the
God of peace who is present inside of us! As with many of God's precious promises, the promise of having the God of
peace with us has some, "if's." In this case, we're supposed to have learned, received, and heard God's Word
from Paul. We're also supposed to have taken a good look at Paul's life. But, it doesn't stop there. We're
supposed to do what we have learned, received, heard and seen in and from Paul! No wonder we need to be in the Word
constantly! Most of those things that we're supposed to do are not commonly done in the world we live in today.
That's also why we need each other. To remind ourselves that we're "straight-running, overcomin' saved by grace,"
children of faith (as the song says). We're not only all of that but, we need to live according to what we are.
What we've learned, received, heard and seen in Paul and other people of God. In a world that is severely lacking in
peace, do you want peace? Of course you do! And so do I! We can have the presence of the God of peace if
we will just do what we have been taught by His Word to do! And, if we have the God of peace, others will experience
peace when we're around and they will want it too. Everybody wants peace! The only true peace comes from having
the God of peace present within us! 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV) 33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY:
Lord, I need peace. I need You, the God of peace, to be present with me. Help me to do what I have
learned in Your Word. As I do that, I thank you that You are with me, my God of peace! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 22, 2010 IS THERE ANY PRAISE? Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things
are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Can you think of anything commendable in your life? Can you think
of anyone in your life who is worthy of commendation? That's what praise means. As I began to write this little
devotional concerning whether there is any praise to think about, I immediately thought, "no problem."
There is always room to praise God and we cannot exhaust all of the things for which we can praise God!
But, as I looked up the specific meaning of the word Paul has used for, "praise," here, I discovered something
new! This word is used, according to Vine's Dictionary, "of those on account of, and by reason of, whom as
God's heritage, "praise" is to be ascribed to God in respect of His glory (the exhibition of His character
and operations)." This same word, translated, "praise," is used in Ephesians 1:12, regarding us, as believers. We're supposed to be to the praise of His glory. It's used again in Ephesians 1:14, this time to describe our inheritance in Christ which is to the praise of His glory. It's also in Ephesians 1:6, where Paul describes the praise of God's grace which has made you and me accepted in the beloved.
In Philippians 1:11, it is used to describe how we're to be filled with the fruits of righteousness which will be to the praise of
God. It is used to commend the Jewish people who truly worship God in spirit so that their praise is of God and
not of men. (Romans 2:29.) I love this next verse. It is used in 1 Corinthians 4:5. This verse is proof that, at the judgment day, if we have truly served Christ, no matter what others thought of
us, we will have the praise of God! Lastly, it is used to let us know that, if we live proper lives, we will receive
the praise of those who rule over us. (Romans 13:3; 1 Peter 2:14) Once again, God has given me a new revelation. Yes, I must praise God, first and foremost.
But, if anyone around me is worthy of praise because they serve God, I can honor them too. Next to God, is there
someone in your life of whom you can say, "They really live to the praise of God."? In this word, I see
the cross with praise to God going up and praise to those who serve Him going outward! While there are lots of things
that tempt us to negative thinking about others around us, there are also lots of people who love the Lord and are serving
Him! How many of them can you think of today? Perhaps you just might want to encourage them by letting them know
that you see them living for the praise of God! If there is any praise (and there surely is), think about that! 1 Corinthians 4:5 (KJV) 5 Therefore
judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will
make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank
you, Lord, for placing people all around me who live for Your praise and glory. Help me today and everyday, to
think of them and to encourage them. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 21, 2010 VIRTUOUS THINKING Philippians 4:8 (KJV) The way we think is the way
we're going to be. If we think about good things, the chances are that our actions are going to be good. If we
think about bad things, those things will eventually invade our actions. The Apostle, Paul, in Philippians 4:8, is trying to guide us into proper and positive thinking. Not the positive thinking that many secular humanists teach.
Paul wants us to think on the things of the Lord, which are always positive because God loves His creation and everything
He says is true. Paul tells us that, if there is any virtue, to think about that. There are so many things we
can think about as we watch the nightly news or hear others complaining about the challenging times in which we live.
But, we, because we believe that God is in control, have many other things to think about! What is virtue, as translated
in Philippians 4:8? According to the Strong's Talking Dictionary, it is something, "manly," as in the word, "valor."
Things that are virtuous are things of excellence and things that are praiseworthy. The Apostle, Peter, encourages
us by letting us know that God has given us everything that concerns life and Godliness. God expects us to use
those things to live a life of virtue. God has called you and me to virtue. To be excellent. To be
people of valor. So, why not start thinking about things that are virtuous? 2 Peter 1:3 Peter also gives us a list of things to do in order to live a Godly life of faith. To our faith, we are to
add virtue. This morning, I encourage you to think about things of virtue. Things of excellence. 2 Peter 1:5 According to Peter, we are to add virtue to our faith and then knowledge to our virtue. It's time
to start thinking virtuous thoughts! It's interesting to note that the translators of the King James Version of
the Bible translated the Greek word, "dynamis," as, "virtue," in Mark 5:30. This is the story of the woman with the issue of blood that pressed in through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus's
garment; and she was healed. Jesus knew that power had gone out of Him even though He did not see her touch
his robe. So, if we want to have the dynamite power of the Holy Spirit, we might want to begin to think virtuous thoughts.
What is foremost in your thoughts this morning? Let's check to be sure every thought is an excellent thought.
All of the previous things that Paul has urged us to think about in Philippians 4:8 are virtuous thoughts. It's time to develop virtuous thinking so that our lives will become lives of excellence
for the King of Kings! 2 Peter 1:5 (KJV) 5 And
beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, help me to be a
person of excellence for You by thinking about things of virtue! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 20, 2010 I LOVE A GOOD REPORT! Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) Among
everything that started flooding your mind this morning when you awoke, were there thoughts of good reports? Perhaps
you went to the doctor this week and are awaiting the results of testing. Of course, you want a good report!
Is it time for report cards in school? A good report is exactly what you're looking for! And what about that
performance review at work? Everybody is looking for a good report in that area. A good report could even mean
a better paycheck! There may be times when the doctor's report doesn't look so good to us or the grades aren't exactly
what we thought we had, or the performance review is less than expected. But, there are things that
we can think about that are of good report. As believers, we are never without a good report. We have
the good news (good report) of the gospel. (Matthew 24:14) The good report, in spite of all of our challenges and unmet expectations, is that Jesus lives! (John 21:14, Hebrews 7:25) A good report is something reputable. It is something of fame. Something shining and clear. As
with all of the other things that Paul asks us to think upon in Philippians 4:8, it comes right back to God. Luke 4:37 tells us that the fame of Jesus went all over the land. The underpinnings of this word used to describe the
fame that Jesus had are a part of the words, "good report." Whether or not our circumstances
are exactly favorable or worthy of being of good report, we always have good reports to think about. Jesus
came and loved us when we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) That's a good report. He died for us to save us from our sin. (Romans 1:16) Another good report. He did not stay in the grave. (Matthew 28:6) Now there's a very good report. And, an even better report is that He lives today and has promised never
to leave us or forsake us. (Matthew 28:20) If we will follow Him, He has promised to be our Light. (John 12:46) If we will give generously, He has promised to meet all of our needs! (Philippians 4:19) If we will use His Word, we can send the devil running. (Matthew 4:10) If we read His Word, we can renew our minds and be conformed to His image. (Romans 12:2) All of these things are things that are of good report. All of these things will allow us to maneuver through
this world of strange, and sometimes uncomfortable, circumstances knowing that the final good report is that, "we
win." Because God is for us. Nothing can separate us from His love. These things are good reports,
if I have ever heard a good report! Do you need some good reports to think upon? Just start going through the
above and all of the other promises in the Word! I love a good report and we certainly have plenty of good reports
to meditate upon when we open up the Word of God! Proverbs 15:30 (KJV) 30 The light
of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Thank you Lord for all the
good reports in Your Word. When I can't seem to find a good report in this world, thank you that I can
find plenty of them in Your Word! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 19, 2010 IS IT LOVELY? Philippians 4:8 (KJV) What's on your mind
this morning? Whatever it is, I pray that it is a lovely thought! There are so many self-help books
on the shelves that tell us how to make changes in our lives for the better. But, the Apostle, Paul, has really given
us much to think about in Philippians 4:8 which, when thought about constantly, will change us completely! And, for the better! For instance,
he says to think about things that are lovely. As translated from the Greek language, that means things that are pro-friendly.
Acceptable. Vine's Dictionary says that it means, "pleasing, agreeable, lovely." For example, 2 Samuel 1:23 says that Jonathan and David were lovely and pleasant in their lives. They were true friends. Do you have
a lovely friend like that. I do and I am so thankful! Also, Solomon's Song 5:16 declares, prophetically, that Jesus is altogether lovely. When I think of the word, "lovely," I think
of Psalm 84:1 that declares the loveliness of God's dwelling place and of Psalm 84:4 that tells of how blessed those are that dwell in God's lovely dwelling place, forever praising Him. As with
all the other things Paul urges us to think about in Philippians 4:8, things that are lovely refer us back to the Lord. It is truly a lovely thing to dwell in His presence.
We are His dwelling place if we have received Jesus. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Thinking about things that are lovely leads us to think thoughts of Jesus. He is the One who, as the song says,
is "altogether lovely." Because He lives in us, our thoughts should be altogether lovely. When
our thoughts are altogether lovely, our speech will be that way because whatever is in our heart is going to eventually
come out of our mouth! So, today, as thoughts begin to enter our minds, let's check them out. If they're not
lovely, let's throw them out! The Apostle, Peter, was in total agreement with Paul. In 2 Peter 3:1, he said that both of his letters were written to stimulate us to wholesome thinking. A lovely thought is a friendly,
agreeable, pleasing, and wholesome thought. It will never contain any evil! What thought is on your mind
this morning? Is it lovely? 1 Corinthians 14:20 (NIV) 20 Brothers,
stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord,
please help me to concentrate on thinking about things that are lovely today; things that point my mind to You. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 18, 2010 ARE MY THOUGHTS PURE? Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 8 Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. Our brains are such fantastic creations. It's true
that we are wonderfully and marvelously made by the Lord. Made in a very complex way! (Psalm 139:14) Computers are quite complex but they are not, "living." God gave us brains like computers, but He
also gave us a heart and a spirit! How awesome is that? As they say about computers, "garbage in, garbage
out." In other words, if someone programs wrong things into a computer, the wrong thing will come out. That's
the way it is with us too, except that God has given us the discernment and ability to re-program our minds when
the wrong thoughts try to take residence. The Apostle, Paul, has written that we should program pure thoughts
into our minds. What are pure thoughts? The word that Paul uses for, "pure," in Philippians 4:8, comes from a root word meaning, "holy." So, whatever connotation the world might put on the word, "pure,"
we know what God really means when He says to think about things that are pure. To have pure thoughts. Our
thoughts should be clean, innocent, modest, and perfect (mature). How are your thoughts programmed this morning?
It's really easy to become distracted with impure thoughts. All you have to do is turn on the TV, go to the movies,
or listen to the talk going on around you in the office or in school. While it is very difficult to separate
our minds from these rampent impure thoughts, it is possible or God would not have told us to do it. (Philippians 4:13) When we think pure thoughts, we will be freeing ourselves from defilement and contamination. I want to be
free of these things. Don't you? Paul told young Timothy to keep himself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22) God would not automatically keep Timothy pure. Timothy had to keep himself pure and so do we. How do
we do that? By programming our minds to think pure thoughts! To have thoughts that are free from unholy things.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. How wonderfully complex God has made our brain! Why would we want
to contaminate or defile the main room in the temple of the Holy Spirit? We don't have to do that. By the grace
and strength of Christ, we can program our minds to think, "pure," thoughts! James 3:17 (KJV) 17 But
the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy. PRAYER
FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, with Your strength and, by Your grace, I choose to think pure thoughts
that are free from the contamination and defilement that comes from the world. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 17, 2010 THINKING OF THINGS THAT ARE JUST Philippians 4:8 (KJV) I
have been having a lot of fun digging into Philippians 4:8 and finding out lots of things I did not know about what I am supposed to be thinking! I hope and pray that
I am getting a wholly renewed and revived mindset! It's amazing to find that some words in Philippians 4:8 , that we take for granted that we know, have extensively deeper meanings! Today, I am digging for treasure
in the word, "just." Are you thinking about things that are, "just," this morning? Or, are
you just thinking about the things you have to get done today or all the obstacles in your way? What
does it mean to think of things that are just? The word that the Apostle, Paul, used in Philippians 4:8 for, "just," is really most often translated, "righteous." Things that are just are things
that are equitable or fair. Sounds like the word we use a lot for legal affairs - justice. It
is that, but, as with all the other terms Paul has used, it is so much more! It also implies innocence and holiness.
There we are, right back to God again! What are you thinking about this morning? Things that have to do with
holiness? With righteousness? As they used to say, "rightwiseness"? God is righteous (John 17:25) The world, at large, does not know Him. Do you suppose that is why most worldly just-ice systems seem
to fall apart sooner or later? As believers, we can know and be known by a just and righteous Heavenly Father.
Not only that, we are endowed with righteousness. Not our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ!
If we are, then, righteous people because of Christ, how fitting that Paul should remind us that we are to think of righteous
things. Of things that are just! Even Jesus, when He walked the earth as a man, thought of the things of His
Father. Of things that were just (and still are). Jesus said that His judgments were just because He didn't seek
His own will but, instead, He sought the will of His Father. (John 5:30) In our daily lives, when we think of things that are just, we are thinking righteously, looking for the will of
our Father instead of leaning on our own understanding and seeking to follow our own agenda. I want to walk in the
righteousness that Jesus died to give me, don't you? (1 Corinthians 1:30) We can stay on the straight and narrow much easier when we think about things that are just. With these
things on our mind, we will have no room for the unjust things that the devil and the world try to bring upon us! Today,
let's try thinking of things that are just (righteous)! Proverbs 3:33 (KJV) 33 The
curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY:
Lord, I purposely set my mind on Your will and Your ways because I know that You are just and righteous. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 16, 2010 ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS HONEST? Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 8 Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. What's on your mind this morning? I hope it is not
everything you saw last night on the news, describing the dishonesty of the financial and political leaders of our world.
Yes, and even sometimes those who claim to be, "church," leaders find themselves caught being dishonest!
It truly is hard to be honest all of the time! But, the more we think about things that are honest, the more likely
we will be to operate in genuine honesty. What, exactly, does this word, "honest," in Philippians 4:8 mean? It denotes that which is sacred. "Hallowed," is a synonym. It is actually the
word, "venerable." One commentator says it means, "nobly serious." It is something
that has stood the test of time and scrutiny. So, perhaps Paul is just building on the word, "true," here.
We do the best in life when we think about the truth and when we meditate on things that are sacred, have stood the test
of time, and been proven to be right. That's a rarity in our world today but it's never too late to get back to basics!
Especially the basics of the Word of God. When, as recorded in Acts 6:3, the apostles were looking for men to serve as deacons, they were looking for men of honest report.
Men who had been proven to be wise and full of the Holy Spirit. So, ,"honest," does not just mean something
that is good and moral. It has a deeper meaning of things that are sacred, revered and proven to be true.
The meaning of the Greek word translated, "honest," is also, "august," according to Vine's Dictionary.
No, not the month of August! August means something that is dignified, stately, imposing, solid and staid.
That can certainly describe our God and His ways. Now I have a much deeper understanding of what, "honest,"
means. Now I know that Paul is telling me to think about things that are sacred, hallowed, proven to be true, dignified,
solid, etc. So, on Christ the solid Rock I stand. What's on your mind this morning? Things that are honest?
Just that one word, with its depth of meaning can be enough to chew on all day long! Since the things we think about
most come out in our actions, we are sure to be a better witness for the Lord as we go about our daily activities if we
think about the things of the Lord; things that are honest! Proverbs 12:17 (NLT) 17
An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies. PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: Lord, may I think about things that are honest,
proven, sacred, hallowed, and solid all day long and may my actions be a reflection of those thoughts. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 15, 2010 THINK ABOUT TRUTH Philippians 4:8 (KJV) 8 Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. Don't you love it when you leave someone for a while and
they offer encouraging words for you to take along with you? That's what the Apostle, Paul, did for the believers
in Philippi. He left them with a final thought, but that thought included five specific things to think about
in order to stay encouraged and be focused on the Lord in a world that throws discouraging things at us every
day. Then he kind of lumps all of the good thoughts into two categories. The first thing Paul
mentions is that we should think about things that are true. It's so much easier just to think about all the untruths
we hear these days over the media and in advertising! More than once, we have probably been deceived into buying a
product that was less than what it was advertised to be. And, we've probably listened to talk shows and news programs
that put a spin on the truth. It's interesting to note that the devil knows the truth, probably better than some of
us do! But, he just twists it a teeny-tiny bit to try to trip us up and get us into some wrong thinking! No
wonder we are urged by Paul to think only about things that are true! And, when was the last time someone told
you something about somebody else? Did you believe it without checking out the facts? That's why we're told not
to let gossip come into our lives. (Proverbs 17:4) How easy it would be for us if we would just focus on The Truth! (John 14:6) Instead of asking ourselves, "What is truth?", we must ask, "Who is truth?"
Of course the answer is Jesus! Today, many say that truth is relative. Can I say, emphatically, that truth
is not relative. We cannot each have our own version of truth and find that our world is peaceful.
It is only when we think on The Truth, who is, The Word (who is Jesus), that we will find unity with one another
and peace in the Lord. Then, the question is, how will we know the truth that we should be thinking about? The
Truth has given us Himself, the Word! It is right there written in our Bibles and more truth will be revealed by His
Spirit as we read and choose to think about, or meditate, upon what is written! What are you thinking about today? Have
you immersed yourself in some truth from the Word that you can think about? Truth that will push out the lies
of the world and the devil? Truth that will dispel any darkness that threatens to encroach on you? Thinking
about what is true will make our days so much better! 2 Peter 1:12 (NLT) 12 Therefore,
I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you
have been taught. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: I will remind myself to think about the true things from
the Word and not the lies from the world today; and everyday! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 14, 2010 WONDERFUL PEACE OF GOD! Philippians 4:7 (KJV) 7 And
the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. I can remember a time when my husband and I were traveling.
Things were happening that we could not control. Things that seemed not so good to us. We found ourselves fretting
and anxious about things we could that were out of our hands. So, I got out the Bible and we read Philippians 4:7. What a promise! The peace of God will keep our hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus. I don't know if this happens to you or not, but sometimes I know that Jesus is keeping my heart.
It's my anxious mind that I wonder about! The peace of God is so amazing! It defies our understanding.
When it comes upon us, we can navigate through the most troubled waters of life without flinching and throwing our hands
up in frustration! But, the beginning of Philippians 4:7 starts with an, "and," which prompted me to go back and read the previous verses to
see if there was a condition to receiving such unbelievable peace. The first thing I found was in Philippians 4:4. I need to make the choice to rejoice and rejoice again, even if things look bad because I know that the Lord is
good! I need to be unselfish and patient, gentle and moderate in my dealings with others, letting the grace of Jesus
show through. (Philippians 4:5) Then I need to pray about everything and give all my anxieties to Jesus, knowing that He actually cares more about
me than I care about myself! (Philippians 4:6) All of these prayers need to be with a heart of thanksgiving because I know that He hears and that He will answer.
And then, God will send His perfect peace to flood my heart and mind. I will be able
to walk on with a heart that is established in my Lord and a mind that is focused on His bidding! God's promises are
so wonderful! Especially the promise that He will guard our hearts and minds with His own peace. But,
there are a few choices that we have to make, in cooperation with God, so that we can have that peace that passes all understanding.
May His peace be yours today as you rejoice in Him, live an unselfish life, pray about everything, give all your cares to
Jesus, and walk through life with a heart of thanksgiving! Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) 3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY: It will
be my choice to rejoice always, be unselfish, pray about everything, give up fretting and live a life of thanksgiving because
the Lord has promised me His peace. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 13, 2010 ARE YOU ANXIOUS TODAY? Philippians 4:6 (KJV) 6 Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Are you anxious today? Why am I asking
that when the King James Version of Philippians 4:6, says, "Be careful for nothing."? I am asking because the word, "careful," sometimes brings to
mind something other than what this verse means. When it says, "Be careful for nothing," it means that nothing
should make us anxious. It is the same admonition we find in Matthew 6:28 when Jesus is asking us why we should be distracted about things like clothing. He goes on to say that the lilies
of the field do not toil for their clothing, yet they are beautifully arrayed. The Apostle, Paul, is carrying forth
this idea that came from Jesus by admonishing the Philippian believers (and us) not to be distracted by becoming worried
and anxious over anything because we know that God hears, and answers, our prayers. Just as He takes care
of the lilies in the field, so much more will He take care of those things that can become a distraction to us in life.
So, if there is anything that is threatening to make you anxious and distracted this morning, run to the Lord in prayer. Talk
to Him about your concerns and thank Him ahead of time for the way He is going to provide, direct, protect, deliver, or
whatever it is you might need. We can be assured that God hears and answers (in His own time and will, and for our
greatest good) every prayer that we utter with a heart of trust and thanksgiving! Are you anxious this morning?
About anything? Let not your heart be troubled! We do believe in God and God never slumbers or
sleeps. (Psalm 121:4) He is quite aware of each and every need we have this morning and quite willing, and able, to
step in and help us to stay focused on what He wants us to do instead of being distracted by needless worry and care!
We don't need to be care-filled. In fact, Paul says not to be full of care! Are you anxious or filled
with care this morning? Turn it over to Jesus. He is so willing to take it because He cares for you so
much! 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) 7
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all]
on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Lord, I give you all of my cares and my anxieties, thanking
You that you care enough for me to take them, work them out, and make me carefree! MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 12, 2010 AM I KNOWN FOR MY MODERATION? Philippians 4:5 (KJV) 5 Let
your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. In answer to the title question, I have to admit that my moderation is not always known by all people!
I'm not talking about moderation as we might think of the word today. I'm speaking about gentleness. Consideration.
Patience. Forbearing. And, as the Vine's Dictionary puts it, "not insisting on the letter of the law."
I truly wish that I was completely perfected and mature in the area of these things so that everyone who looked at me would
perceive and recognize my unselfishness. I have much to work on in this area. Are you known by those around
you for your patience? For your unselfishness? For your not insisting on the letter of the law? What
about your gentleness? Do you wonder why the Apostle, Paul, urged us to live so that everyone around us
would see these qualities in us? It seems to me like he did it because, as he goes on to say in Philippians 4:5, "...the Lord is coming soon." These qualities exemplify the Lord Jesus. If those around us
see those qualities, it will be Jesus shining through. He will be lifted up in our lives. He said that if He
was lifted up, He would draw all men to Himself. (John 12:32) Of course, in the context of John 12:32, He meant being lifted up on the cross. However, we can lift Him up in our own lives today by allowing Him to
work through us in the areas of gentleness, consideration, patience, forbearance, and not insisting on the letter of the
law. The only way to do that is to let our fleshly desires die. To let self shrink away and let Jesus be
magnified in our lives. He is coming soon and the very best thing we could do before He comes is lift Him up in our
lives so that others are drawn to Him. So that they will receive Him as Savior and His desire that all should
come to repentance will be seen. (2 Peter 3:9) Jesus would have probably already been here by now if He was not so desirous of the repentance of all people. You
and I can help out by allowing ourselves to become less selfish and more considerate, patient, forbearing, and not judging
strictly by the letter of the law. We have all received grace and we can now all demonstrate the grace of Jesus to
draw others to Him. Am I known for my moderation? Not as much as I would like to be? How are you doing
in that area. Jesus is coming soon. May He find us all maturing in all of these areas so that we can
win others for His Kingdom! Hebrews 10:37 (KJV) 37 For
yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: Does my life show the evidence of gentleness
and unselfishness that will draw people to want to know Jesus so that there will be many anxiously awaiting His
soon return? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 10, 2010 DO YOU HAVE JOY? Philippians 4:4 (KJV) 4 Rejoice
in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Since I am writing this devotional on a Monday, it may be a good time to ask if we have joy.
For many, it is the start of a new work or school week after, perhaps a couple of days of, "leisure."
A time to get back, "into the grind." When we do get into that daily grind, it can prove to be
very stressful. We may actually feel like we being ground up. What do the grounds look like?
Are they grinds of joy? I don't mean fleeting shavings of happiness because the circumstances change to meet
our expectations at the moment. I mean heavy grounds of joy. Joy that comes from our salvation in Christ. Grounds
of inner peace and delight that come from our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Grounds of the assurance
that, if we love God, and are walking in our calling, everything will eventually turn out for good. In the daily
grind, are the grounds that fall from us faith that all of God's promises are, "yes and amen?" Happy
times are surely fleeting, but true joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit that comes from our abiding in Jesus and
finding ourselves right "smack-dab," in the middle of His presence, no matter what might be going on around us!
Nothing can take away the joy that we have because Jesus because He, Himself, gave us His own joy!
(John 15:11) The word, "rejoice," actually means, "cheerful." It's easy to be cheerful when our earthly
desires are being met. But, how about being cheerful when a sudden illness takes you to the hospital? How about
being cheerful when a child goes astray? What about being cheerful if your spouse leaves you or suddenly passes away?
That's not so easy, is it? We can't do it by ourselves. But, since God's Word tells us to rejoice
in the Lord, always. We need to remember that we are quipped with the joy
that Jesus gave us. That's why, today, even if it is a Monday and the daily grind is starting, once again, we
can face the day (and every day) with calm delight. We have the Source of joy living in us if we have received
Jesus. We have the power to surprise those around us, being a witness with our attitude, letting those grindings that
fall from us be grindings of joy, no matter what! I am rejoicing with you today because our rejoicing is in
the Lord, not in our circumstances! Let's rejoice and then do it again! The world will want to know
why! We can tell them about Jesus. And, the devil will have to flee! Rejoicing doesn't necessarily
mean we're happy with the circumstances. It means we're safely abiding in the God who can change the circumstances
or give us the grace to go through victoriously! Psalm 5:11 (NLT) 11
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over
them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. PRAYER FOCUS FOR TODAY: I can, and will, rejoice always because
my rejoicing is in my relationship with the Lord and not in my circumstances. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 10, 2010 WE ALL NEED HELP! Philippians 4:3 (KJV)3 And
I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with
other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. In this stress-filled world we live in, there is always the chance for strife or arguments. Things
seem to pull at us from every direction until our nerves feel frayed and we are tempted to become irritable. It was
no different in the day that the Apostle, Paul, wrote to the believers in Philippi. Euodias and Syntyche, fellow workers
with Paul, had apparently gotten into some disagreement. Paul urged them to be of one mind in the Lord. However,
Paul also encouraged the others in the church at Philippi to help them out. Perhaps they felt overwhelmed
with their work. Any number of things could have made them short tempered with each other. As we believers,
we like to say, "I'm too blessed to be stressed." That is the truth; but sometimes we forget the truth
when the pressures of life press in, don't we? That's when we need another believer to help us out. Have you
ever been in a "mess," and needed another believer to come along side and help you out? I have! Paul realized
that Euodias and Syntyche needed someone to lend them a hand. They needed help to get back in one accord.
Paul mentions Clement, who seems to be an unknown person in history, but very important simply because he stood
by and helped out. The really important thing is that they were all people whose names are in the book of life!
We all need help at one time or another and we are all called to help one another! None of us is perfect and we can
all use a loving nudge when we get sidetracked. We can all use a faith-filled Christian to come along and help us
get back on track! 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NLT) 3 Dear
brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one
another is growing. THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY: How can I lend a hand to another believer and will I receive help if I need it? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 9, 2010 IT'S ABOUT UNITY Philippians 4:2 (KJV) We are all so wonderfully and marvelously
made! (Psalm 139:14) God has made each of us as unique as a snowflake! Each of us has a designated purpose and different works
to do. (Ephesians 2:10) God has given each of us a different personality. It seems that there might have been, what we could call,
a "personality clash," between Euodias and Syntyche. These two women worked with Paul in the ministry of
the gospel. The name, "Euodias," means, "a prosperous journey," according to The Bible Background
Commentary. And, Syntyche, means, "pleasant acquaintance." However, it seems that there wasn't
much of a prosperous journey going on and they may not have been too pleasant, as acquaintances. Have you ever felt
like you were in a situation like that? The Apostle, Paul, really wanted these two women to stop arguing and to be
of the same mind in the Lord. He did not say that they had to change their personalities. God made each of us
the way we are for a reason. However, as believers, no matter what our personality might be, we should be of the same
mind regarding the Lord Jesus. We have all seen incidences in churches today where people are not of the same mind
in the things of the Lord and there are church splits and bad feelings between individuals. Paul did not want that
to happen in the church at Philippi. He wrote about unity in Philippians 2:1-4. Regardless of our individual personalities, we are all a part of one Kingdom. All of us need to get in line
with the King. There is no way we can stay angry with one another when we are all focused on the King! Jesus
prayed that we would all be in unity. (John 17:22) Are there people in your life with whom you have difficulty getting along? Perhaps if our concern
was more on the things of the Lord, and less on our own preferences, we could eliminate many of the situations similar to
the one that was going on in Philippi between Euodias and Syntyche. It really is all about unity.
Do you remember that song, "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord......" That's what Paul
wanted for Euodias and Syntyche. That's what Jesus wants for you and me, if we are believers. As another
song says, "It doesn't matter what's over the door." But, it does matter Who is in your
heart! If Jesus is in our hearts, then it's got to be all about unity with one another! When that happens, our
journey will be prosperous and we will be pleasant acquaintances! John 17:22 (NLT) 22 “I
have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Is there anything
in my life that creates disunity within the Body of Christ? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 8, 2010 STAY TRUE TO THE LORD! Philippians 4:1 (NLT) 1 Therefore,
my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and
the crown I receive for my work. How are you standing this morning, my friend? In the New Living Translation, Paul tells the Philippians to
stay true to the Lord. The original Greek words mean, "stand fast in the Lord." To persevere.
To remain stationary. To stay closely united to the Lord and His ways. To stay true to the Lord. Again, the
Apostle, Paul, was looking out for his spiritual children, the Philippian believers. But, he was looking out for
you and me too. He calls us all, "dearly beloved," twice in this same verse in the King
James Version. Philippians 4:1 (KJV) 1
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly
beloved. We can see that Paul really does want the best for us and he
knows that, despite the temptations that come from the world, the flesh and the devil, the best thing for us is to stay
true to the Lord. To remain steadfast in following Him. To be immovable when it comes to our loyalty to Him.
Paul had been with the Philippian church but, when he wrote this letter, he was away in a prison
in Rome. Like any loving parent, Paul missed his, "children," in the Lord. He would
have loved to see them. I happen to be traveling right now and I left some brothers and sisters in Christ
in another part of the country. I miss them. But, I also have brothers and sisters in Christ in Maryland,
and it's a joy to see them and I love them too. Paul was a man, a human being just like us! He missed the
Philippian believers and he missed being there to see them grow in the Lord, as he carefully taught them. He considered them
his life's joy and crown. He was so blessed of the Lord that he really wanted all those who
read his letters or heard him speak, to come under his covering. As people believed the gospel message he preached,
he considered them to be his joy and crown. Who is teaching us and uplifting us in the Lord? Can they
consider us their joy and crown in life because we are standing fast in what we have been taught? Most of all,
is the Lord looking at us and seeing a heart truly turned toward Him. Today, and everyday, are we persevering
and remaining stationary in the Lord? Are we, "standing fast?" Galatians 5:1 (KJV) THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY: In this world that seems to be quickly moving away from Jesus, am I standing fast in
Him? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 7, 2010 I'M LOOKING HIM, ARE YOU? Philippians 3:20 (KJV) 20 For our conversation is in heaven;
from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: What are you looking for today? A check in the mailbox? A boyfriend or girlfriend? A
good grade on a test? A promotion at work? Every day we look for things in this life and, if they don't materialize,
we can get discouraged. But, we can never be discouraged when we look for the Savior, Jesus, who will come again and
take us home to be with Him forever. (John 14:3) The word, "look," in this context, and in the original language, means to, "fully expect."
When we get up each morning, are we fully expecting that Jesus may come back, maybe on that very morning? Does
that change the way we live? When the Apostle, Paul, says that our conversation is in Heaven, the word meaning here
is that our citizenship (or our community), is in Heaven. If we are truly following Jesus, we will oftentimes find
that we do not, "fit in," in this world. That's because our citizenship is really in another world.
In Heaven. (Ephesians 2:6) Although we do expect certain things on this earth, we don't have to be discouraged, or worse, if those expectations
are not realized. We have a Heavenly Father that knows just what we need and who has promised to give us His best,
as we follow Christ. It is tempting to expect the things the world says we, "deserve." But, along with
those things comes a battle with sin, our flesh, and the devil. With all of the stress today, our bodies can break
down and refuse to function as they should. But, we have such a hope! When Jesus returns, He will give us
a new body. No more will we live in a body that is tempted to sin. No more will we live in a body that is
slowly decaying. We'll have a brand new body made for eternity. We will never grow old or tired. We will
never be tainted with sin. No more discouragement and stress! We will have a body just like the body of our Lord
and Savior! Everything evil will be totally conquered by Jesus and we will finally be back home in the land of our
true citizenship. Being a perfectionist, and of course never achieving perfection, I can hardly imagine what it will
be like to be perfected and live in perfection for eternity! While we must live in this world and go through the motions
to take care of ourselves and our families, we can also be fully expecting that all of these cares will finally
drop away when Jesus comes back and makes everything new and eternal. Today, shall we lift our expectations a
bit higher and let those expectations give us the joy of the Lord, no matter what circumstances may come our way?
I'm looking for Him! Philippians 3:21 (KJV)
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working
whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: My citizenship is in Heaven and I'm fully expecting the
King of Kings to come and rescue me from this world of sin any day now. MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 6, 2010 WHY FOLLOW PAUL'S EXAMPLE? Philippians 3:18 (KJV) A good parent will always want to keep their
children safe from harm. Not only from harm at the hands of others, but also, from harming themselves by making poor
decisions. The Apostle, Paul, had given the gospel message to the believers in Philippi. He felt as though he
was their spiritual father. He wanted nothing but the best for his spiritual children. That's exactly like our
Father in Heaven. (Jeremiah 29:11) He has good plans for us and plans for a hope and a future, but the enemy would just love to get in and mess up
those plans by getting us to follow a wrong example and end up in opposition to Christ. The enemy is stealthy and he
will try to lure us into following examples that will bring us harm, even lead us to destruction. (Philippians 3:18) Paul urges us to follow his example and note those who do not follow it. Those who do not follow
Paul's example could be professing believers who are corrupting the gospel message with immoral lives and, or,
false teaching. There are several ways we can note these people who may profess to be believers, but walk a different
way. The Bible says that their appetites control them (their god is their stomach), they glory in their shame, and
their minds are on earthly things. (Philippians 3:19) As I write this, I am wondering just how many times today I have thought more about my own desires and appetites
than I have thought of the Lord. I wonder how many times today I might have thought of something in my past that wasn't right
but may have seemed good at the time. And, how many times I have had my mind on earthly things, rather than the
things of the Lord. Now I can see why it's so important to follow a Godly example and to be a Godly
example. I can see at least three check-points for looking for Godly examples and for being a Godly example.
It doesn't matter how young or old we are. We must look for and follow Godly examples and endeavor to be a good example
in word, in behavior, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV) 12 Let
no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith,
in purity. THOUGHT FOR THE
DAY: Am I following the little, "gods," of this world or am I following those who truly follow
Christ? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 5, 2010 WHOSE EXAMPLE ARE YOU FOLLOWING? Philippians 3:17 (NLT) There are lots of role models out there. You can find them
throughout the entertainment industry, in politics, in evey form of media, in the sports world, and even some so-called
Christian TV programs. Whose example do we follow? Are we engrossed in the things of this world or is our focus
on the eternal things of the Lord that will never get old, pass away, or fail us? The Apostle, Paul, encouraged the
Philippian believers to follow his example and the example of those that believed his message of the good news of the gospel
of Christ. Paul's message echos down through the ages. As exciting as it might be to try to pattern our lives
after someone on earth who has attained fame, fortune, or position, it is not wise. Earthly fame, fortune and
position will not last. There will always be someone competing for your place. Following Christ, by following
Paul's example, will bring us right into the center of God's will for our lives! You can't be in a more secure
place than that! We don't have to try to retain that position. God retains it for us, freeing our time
and energy to serve Him and love others. When we submit ourseleves to the Lord, He will exalt us in due time.(1 Peter 5:6) In His own time. When He places us where He wants us, it will be good for us and it will be a place
that no one can take from us. So, whose example are we following and, maybe more importantly, can anyone say that
they are following our Christ-like example? Following worldly examples is a sure road to destruction. Following
those who follow Christ will lead to abundant life and eternal life. Following Paul's example of following Christ
will not always be easy. It's like trying to swim upstream sometimes because the tide is ever flowing downward.
But, the Word of God never tells us to do something that He won't equip us and strengthen us to do! 1 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT) 16
So I urge you to imitate me. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Am I following a Christ-like example; and, am I a Christ-like
example for others? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 4, 2010 ARE WE IN AGREEMENT? Philippians 3:15 (KJV) 15 Let us
therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this
unto you. It's not a whole lot of fun being around people with whom you are not in agreement! But, the truth
is, we're not all always on the same page. Even believers find themselves in disagreement. Of course, the goal is
that we should grow together as we follow Jesus. That's what the Apostle, Paul, wanted for believers. He wanted
them all to agree that salvation is a gift of grace, received through faith. He wanted all of us to realize that
we need to let go of the past and press on to the future so that we might reach the mark and win the prize of the high
calling of God. I think he also wanted us to realize that we are not all going to be in the same place in our
spiritual growth at the same time. However, he does admonish those, who are spiritually mature, to be likeminded.
I would think that we could recognize those who are spiritually mature by their likemindedness, wouldn't you?. Paul
did realize that some would not be like minded though. He was convinced that it would only be a matter of time
before God would reveal these things to those who were, "otherwise minded." I notice that Paul did not say
that he would convince these, perhaps, slow learners. He left that job to God. I don't know about you,
but I need to take a lesson from Paul and let God do the revealing instead of me trying to convince another who just doesn't
seem to be quite,"there," yet. If we are likeminded according to the things Paul has been describing
in Ephesians, Chapter Three, we ought to thank God for it and walk according to what we have learned! God will
take care of the stragglers! Philippians 3:16 (KJV) 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let
us mind the same thing. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Can I be satisfied
to walk in the revelation I have received and graciously wait for God to reveal His way to those who seem to be behind? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 3, 2010 Philippians 3:14 (KJV) 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus. WHAT
IS YOUR GOAL? We
all have goals in life, don't we? From the time I can remember, my goal was to be a, "mommy." That
is the earliest goal I can remember. I did achieve that four times over! If you are in high school, perhaps
your goal is to graduate and go to college. If you are in college, maybe your goal is to graduate and get a good job.
If you have a job, you might have the goal of getting a better job. If you are single, your goal just may be to find
the right person and get married. There are many goals we can set in life but none will give us total satisfaction.
There will always be another goal after that! Some of us get discouraged and fail to meet our goals. The circumstances
of life may have thwarted the goals of others. But, for the believer, there is one ultimate goal. That is the
goal toward which the Apostle, Paul, says he presses. Toward the mark or goal, for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus. What is our chief goal in life? Toward what mark are we most focused on reaching?
Hopefully, all our earthly goals will seem dim compared to pressing toward the mark of seeing our Savior face to face and
living with Him forever in Heaven. It's important to set earthly goals; but, it is essential to press forward
to the eternal goal to which Christ has called all of us who love Him, all the while getting to know Him better. (Romans 8:28) 1 Corinthians 9:24 (KJV) 24 Know
ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Are
all of the goals in my life secondary to reaching the ultimate goal for the prize of seeing my Savior face to
face? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 2, 2010 ARE WE THERE YET? Philippians 3:13 (KJV) 13 Brethren, I count
not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
those things which are before, Have you ever felt pretty satisfied that you have finally understood and begun to walk in a portion of
God's Word and then found that there was even more to learn in that area? Don't we really desire to read something,
get it, and feel good about the accomplishment so we can go on to something else? Well, I have found that I cannot
plumb the depths or scale the heights of God's Word. I cannot scope the width of it either. Just when I think
I've got something, there's something more to get! I'm learning that I really need to travel lightly, not carrying
the victories or defeats of the past with me into the future. They really do become a drag! The Apostle, Paul,
implies that we can never really sit back with an, "I've made it," attitude. No. We've got to let the past
be the past and enter into the process of continuing always to "get it," that is, to get more of God's revelation
of His Word and to live it more completely. If Paul had to say that he had not arrived at his spiritual destination
yet, I surely have to admit that too. I've got to stop asking, "Am I there yet?' You and I will be, "there,"
when we see Jesus, face to face. Until then, we've got to forget the good and the bad from the past and continue to
run the race without extra baggage! We're on this journey together and we've got to encourage one another to reach
out for what is ahead. It's so exciting that Jesus is with us all the way, leading and teaching. Let's let go
of the past so our hands won't be too full to receive what Jesus has for us today and in the future! Let's keep pressing
on, because, we're not there yet! Hebrews 12:1-2 (KJV) 1 Wherefore seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: What might I be carrying
from the past, either good or bad, that will keep me from receiving what Jesus has for me in the future? MORNING MANNA - OCTOBER 1, 2010 APPREHENDED TO APPREHEND! Philippians 3:12 (KJV) 12 Not as though I
had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus. How
would you feel if you were going about your business, even thinking that you were doing God's business, and
suddenly you got knocked to the ground, heard a voice, saw a light, and was apprehended by Jesus, Himself? That happened
to the Apostle, Paul, who was named Saul before this personal encounter with Jesus. (Acts 6:5-21) Paul was literally, "apprehended," by Jesus! During that apprehension, Paul ended up getting
a name change and the revelation of his mission in life from the Lord. He thought he was doing the right thing before, as
he persecuted the church. He thought he was keeping the law of God; and, he zealously tried to keep on doing
that until he was apprehended by grace. By, Jesus, the giver of grace. We may not all have such a dramatic
testimony. But, we all do have a testimony if we have been saved by the grace of Jesus! We have
all been apprehended by the Lord. We have experienced a turn-around point in our lives. A turn toward
Jesus. As Paul said of himself, our perfection is not yet completely manifested, but we are on a quest to
apprehend that for which we were apprehended of Jesus Christ. In other words, as the New Living Translation says, we
press on to possess the maturity in the Lord for which Jesus has possessed us. Sometimes pressing is hard.
But, just as muscle builders, "press," to become stronger, we must press on. We must fight the good fight
of faith. We must hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called us. We have confessed the Lord before
people and now the Lord has possessed us so that we can press on the possess maturity in Him and be a testimony
of His keeping power. Praise God, He has not left us alone to apprehend and press. Jesus gives us the
strength we need to do all that He has called us to do! (Philippians 4:13) He has apprehended us and will keep us so that we can apprehend eternal life! 1 Timothy 6:12 (NLT) THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY: I will remember that I have been apprehended by Jesus to apprehend maturity in Him
and that He will give me the strength to press on until I apprehend it! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 WHAT IS THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS? Philippians 3:10 (KJV) 10 That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death I wonder if you are like I am.
I have read, and re-read, the Bible and I still gloss over the things that I don't quite really understand. I wonder
if it's time to begin to ask God for the whole counsel of His Word. To really want to know what the hard sayings
mean. The Apostle, Paul speaks of the fellowship of the sufferings of Jesus. He doesn't just speak of them but
he says that he wants to know Jesus and to know the fellowship of His sufferings! If you ask me, that's a
pretty scary thing to ask to know! We all know that Jesus sweat drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, took thirty-nine
lashes for our healing, had a crown of thorns pressed upon his already beaten and spit-upon head, was nailed to a Roman cross,
and had a spear thrust into His side. And, that's just the physical part of His sufferings! The Apostle,
Paul, was called to suffer many things for Christ, which he willingly did. Jesus did not say that we would be without
trouble in this world. In fact, He said there would be trouble! He also promised that, if we suffered for the
Kingdom of God, we would have a great reward in Heaven. If you are going through a time of suffering, and it is because
you have taken a stand for Jesus, know that you are in good company. You will never have to suffer as much as Jesus
suffered because He took it all for you so that you could be comforted with His comfort when you were presented with
difficult situations. He gives us strength to give up our carnal way of living and share in His sufferings,
all the while having joy. Our reward here on earth is that He will be with us, comforting us in our sufferings. Our
reward in Heaven will be great if we let the sinful nature within us die in order to become conformed to the image of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:5 (NLT) 5 For
the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Am I willing
to walk through suffering for Christ, with joy, remembering that I have His presence and comfort today, as well as
a reward in Heaven? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 NOW, THAT'S POWER! Philippians 3:10 (KJV) Our
world has gone power-mad, hasn't it? Everyone is contending for the top position! World leaders are doing
it. Politicians are doing it. Corporate leaders are doing it. Spouses are doing it. Sports figures are
doing it. Media people are doing it. Movie stars are doing it. Everybody wants the power. Sadly,
there are churches in which people compete for the number one position, whatever that may be, in their congregation.
That is not as it should be! After all, as believers, I wonder why we would compete for any power!
Why strive for something you already have? Why compete for something that is already inside you? The Apostle,
Paul, could have demanded to have power as a believer. He had all the qualifications, and then some, to rule over
people and exert his power over them. But, he did not do that. He remained humble, focused totally on His
Lord seeking to know Him better. In fact, worldly power meant nothing to Paul. He considered worldly
power to be nothing in comparison to knowing Jesus. Philippians 3:7-8 (KJV) 7 But
what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless,
and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, He
was readily willing to give up power because he knew that he could know more and more of the power that was already inside
of him - namely, the power of the resurrection of Christ. There
are several things we might want to know about Jesus and, as we stay close to Him, reading and studying His Word, we will
find out more about the power of His resurrection. Perhaps we need to know more about that power in these days when
power is such a sought after entity. Without being arrogant, we need to realize that the same power that raised Jesus
from the dead lives in us! God is interested in love and life. As believers, we have power over death because
of the resurrection power of Christ. We have power over the enemy too. Yes, Satan still rules and makes chaos
in this world among people that are captivated by his enticing temptation of worldly power. But we, as believers,
carry the resurrection power. It is not a power that should be flaunted, but rather a power to bring life to dead things
and the power to love, even the unlovely! Do we really understand just how powerful we are? Ephesians 1:18-23 (KJV) 18 The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which
he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put
all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. As obedient followers of Christ, you and I have the same power within us that God
used to raise Jesus from the dead! But, what are we doing with it? And, do we stay close to Jesus constantly
learning more about this miraculous power? Jesus gave us a glimpse of it when he gave power to some of his
disciples while He was on earth. He sent them on ahead of Him and gave them the power they needed to cast
away the enemy. They were so excited about having such power! Luke 10:17-20 (NLT) 17 When
the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your
name!” 18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from
heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power
of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.20
But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
There is a saying about worldly power. "Power corrupts." This is very true if power is
not controlled and used with humility. We have seen it happen too many times. However, the power of God brings
life when used as He directs us. He never meant for you and me to go through this world without the same power
that Jesus used to overcome the enemy and set people free when He walked the earth. Jesus has not left us without
power. Luke 24:49 (KJV) 49 And, behold,
I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. His
power is not just for the clergy. It is for every believer. Mark 16:16-18 (KJV) 16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing,
it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
We should not take this power lightly or use it recklessly but we should take it. We should not rejoice in
the fact that we have such power. It is a miracle; but it is not the greatest miracle. The greatest miracle is
that God should love us enough to sacrifice His own son so that our names could be registered in Heaven! In the meantime,
God has given us His, "dynamite," power so that we can help take lots of people with us when we go to Heaven and
so we can go about loving others, doing good and relieving the oppressed in the Name of Jesus. It is never by
our own power or strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit within us! Now, that's power! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 WHO'S ALWAYS RIGHT? Philippians 3:9 (KJV) 9 And be found in him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith: When you get in a somewhat challenging
discussion, why do you keep on with the conversation? It's probably because you think you are right. Right?
I mean, why would we keep trying to convince another in a conversation if we thought we were wrong? When I first met
my husband, if I caught him in a mistake, he would jokingly say, "That's the first time I've been wrong this year."
Of course it didn't matter to him whether it was January first or December thirty-first. The implication was that he
was always right. That didn't leave a whole lot of times for me to be right! The truth is that, neither of us
is wholly right if we're counting on our own wit or intelligence. You and I may, "look," right on the
outside, but it really doesn't matter what others think of us. It doesn't matter how good we look to everyone
else! What matters is what God sees when He takes a look, inside. You can take the shell
of a brand spanking new Mercedes and put it on the showroom floor. People will look at it in awe and those who are
wealthy enough may even want to buy it. But, if there's no engine under the hood, what good is it? Or, if that
shiny shell has a lawn mower engine under the hood, how well will it run? And, should the owner buy it without
checking first, he or she is going to be very unhappy when they try to drive it! It will look like a Mercedes
on the outside with the emblem, and everything, but it won't be worth a red cent because the inside is either empty or wrong! People today will claim to be right, no matter which side they are on! It's hard to
tell who is right anymore with the glut of information that is out there and with the possibility that much of it is deceptive
or downright wrong! There is one thing we can be sure of though. Jesus is always right! His Word is one
hundred percent true. He lived a righteous life here on earth as an example to us that, through His Spirit, we
too could live a righteous life. It's true we can fake it. We can carry around a big Bible, wear a cross
around our neck and talk the talk. We can fool most people that way; but we can never fool God. When you and
I believe in, and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He gives us the greatest gift! I just love to get gifts,
don't you? As they say, this gift I am talking about is one that keeps on giving! It is the righteousness of
Christ. In earlier days, the word, righteous was spelled, "rightwiseness." When we have the righteousness
of Christ, we don't have to prove anything. We don't have to be right all the time. We can be humble and teachable
because we are already made right with God, through Jesus! I think that is one of the things that made
the Apostle, Paul, joyful in all of his circumstances. He knew that he had the gift of the righteousness of Christ! At
one point in his life, Paul would have had to strive to be right all the time, making sure he followed all the rules
and regulations of the Pharisees, right down to the letter of the law. One slip-up and he would have been judged
to be unrighteous and, worse than that, he would have felt like he was unrighteous! But, now, we have been given gifts,
not just one gift, but several gifts. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (KJV) 30 But
of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Paul has demonstrated to us, in his letter to the Philippian
church, that we don't need to be right all the time. That is an honor that only God has and only God deserves.
Without His, "rightness," we would be a lost cause. There's no way either you or I could be right and
live right one hundred percent of the time. Our Father knew that. He knows who we are, and what we're made of,
because He made us. Psalm 103:14 (KJV) 14 For
he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. God is very well aware that we are but clay
vessels. That dust that He speaks of is moldable though. He makes clay out of it and then puts it on His Potter's
wheel. Soon the vessel of His choosing takes form. If our confidence is in ourselves, we will find
that we are just an empty vessel walking around trying to be right in our own strength. Nothing really good will flow
from that vessel. God knew that would happen too! He already had planned to fill the vessels that He had made
with His righteousness, through the sacrifice of His Son. However, He will not force that righteousness into us.
He gives it to us as a gift and we can either receive it joyfully, as Paul did, or we can turn it down and walk through life
empty. We can even look pretty good on the outside but the inside will be void of anything of value and certainly
void of the joy of the Lord! Like Paul, will we vessels choose to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith?
Will we stop trying to be right all the time and prove that we can do life alone even though we know, down deep
inside, that we cannot? Will we receive God's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption and give all the
glory to Him? Will we stop living by rules and regulations, always having to prove ourselves and just receive
what our Father gives us? Jesus was just dying to give us these gifts and that's exactly what He did. He
died so that we could stop trying to be right and just receive, "rightness," in Him! Of course, as Paul
received such a great gift of the righteousness of Christ, he could not help but give the glory to God! When we think
about it, we've just got to stop for a moment and give glory to God for the gift of the righteousness of Christ! If
we have received it, we are, and forever will be, righteous! Who's always right? Jesus is. When He lives
within us, we are given His righteousness! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 WHAT HAVE WE COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST? Philippians 3:7-8 (KJV) 7 But what things were
gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. We live in a society in which, whether we say it or not, lots of people are living the phrase, "He
who dies with the most toys, wins." In just typing this I had to laugh because I made a typing error and wrote,
"He who dies with the most toys, sins." Well, I guess that's as good a way as any to begin talking this
morning. Not about all that we have gained in this life in position and earthly goods; but, about what is really important
to us in this life. What we focus on in this life will affect our eternity. What are we trying to gain
in this life? Jesus described what we would be wise in gaining. Matthew 13:44-46 (KJV) 44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto
treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath,
and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant
man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price,
went and sold all that he had, and bought it. The Apostle, Paul, was a very religious man and one
of importance among the Jewish rulers. He had worldly stature and religious stature. But, after he met Jesus
he was like that man that found treasure in a field and went and sold everything he had so he could buy the field (and of
course the treasure that was in it). He was like the one that found just one pearl of great price and then
went and sold everything so he could buy it. What (really, "who") Paul found was Jesus. He
found the King of the Kingdom. After that, everything that had ever mattered to Paul, he willingly gave up
for Jesus! What are you and I holding onto today that will
keep us from finding the treasure of Jesus. What are we holding on to that will keep us from seeing that one
pearl of great price - Jesus? Most of us would admit to wanting to be a disciple of Jesus. But, have we
counted the cost? Luke 14:33-35 (KJV) So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
cannot be my disciple. Now those are pretty strong words from our Lord Jesus! Not friendly at
all to the seeker-friendly church. Jesus didn't water down the truth. He was not in any way deceptive about the
cost of becoming His disciple. He told it like it was, but in great love. He knew that the best thing that
could happen to, and for, us would be that we become His disciple. Luke 14:34-35 (KJV) 34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost
his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor
yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. First of all, we
can't hang around with Jesus very long before we either turn away, failing to trust Him or become closer and closer
to Him. The closer we get, the more we will act like Him. Like Jesus, we will be salt that will spice up this
world with the truth. As salt, we will be a preserving agent. But, if we have lost our saltiness, notice that
Jesus continues to tell the truth like it is. He says we will be fit only to be cast away into a pretty stinky pile! We
need to get to the place that Paul found in his life. He was willing to cast anything, that God asked him to cast,
into the garbage heap so that he would not end up in the garbage himself. Philippians 3:8 (KJV) 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and
do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Even before he met Jesus, Paul had a great desire to
serve God. He did a lot of what he had been taught to do to serve God, though many times he was misguided.
Could it be that we fall into that trap also? Do we amass little kingdoms here on earth (personal and/or denominational),
not realizing that the Kingdom of God should be the Kingdom of choice? What if Jesus asked us to give away everything
to follow Him? He did ask that of one rich, young ruler. Mark 10:21 (NLT) 21 Looking at
the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go
and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
I notice that the very first thing Jesus did, before he spoke to this man, who wanted to know how to find
salvation, was to look at the man very lovingly. That's the way Jesus looks at you and me today too. His great
love for us wants the best for us and, if there is anything in our life that will keep us from the best (which is obviously,
Him), He will ask us to give it up. That's exactly what Paul did. He didn't give thought to any of the things
that he could have boasted about or used to help himself live in greater comfort in this world. What he really desired,
and put the greatest worth in, was knowing Jesus. This was absolutely the most excellent thing Paul could
think of. To know Jesus surpassed every other desire that Paul had. He had truly lost much in the way of earthly
position, things, and comfort. But, he was glad to have given these things up because, in comparison to knowing
Jesus, he considered these things to be refuse. All that Paul had in this world, he considered dregs to be thrown
to the dogs compared with winning (gaining) Christ. That sounds like an awful lot to give up, doesn't it?
However, if we look at this passage in light of the fact that we can never give up anything but that God will give
us more and better, we might want to rethink some things. Even if we were to give up everything
in order to know Jesus better, we would not lose. This is what Jesus said: Mark 10:28-30 (KJV) 28 Then
Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29 And
Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father,
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30 But
he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands,
with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. I notice that Peter, great man of God that
he was, wondered about having given up so much in order to walk closely to Jesus and get to know Him better.
Jesus clarified that for Peter. I also notice that, when the rich, young ruler went away from Jesus; he was sad.
He, at least at that point, just could not trust that being close to Jesus could be better than his position and earthly
prosperity. But, Paul is another story. All through the book of Philippians, we find Paul rejoicing and telling
us to rejoice and rejoice again! Peter doubted the benefits of giving all to Jesus at first. The rich young
ruler went away sad after his conversation with Jesus because he could not find it within himself to give everything up.
In great contrast, Paul had joy, even in the worst of circumstances. He had joy because he counted everything
else in this world as nothing compared to Jesus. What have you and I counted as loss just so we could get to know
Jesus in a more intimate way? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 WHAT ARE YOU BOASTING ABOUT? Philippians 3:4-6 (KJV) 4 Though
I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I
more: Don't
we live in a very boastful society? I was once at a dinner gathering and the man sitting next to me pulled out his
wallet to show me how many cards he had, proving that he was a member of this and that country club and other places
where people of position and influence gather. He was boasting about it, thinking I would be impressed. I'm sorry
to say that I was not impressed and I'm sure my attitude of indifference showed through. Today, people
boast about how big their house is. They brag about how much they paid for their car. People push their children
to the brink of being crazed with competition in sports, music, and the arts so they can boast about them. Some choose
to try to be impressive in front of others with their position. The bank account might be the boast of others.
Then, there are those that become the self-made martyr by boasting about all they have had to suffer in life. Maybe
the worst is that some, even in the church, boast about how spiritual they are. Church members sometimes vie for position
within a church so that they can boast about that! Many have confidence in the flesh - literally. There are
those on the stage, in the movies, and in sports that boast about their perfect bodies. What is it in your life that
would tempt you to boast? Moreover, what it is, that we have, that we trust in? The Apostle, Paul, in his letter to the Philippian believers tells us to beware of those who boast in the
fact that they are really busy about doing things for God. Or, perhaps they boast about being much better than the
peons in the church because they have been duped into thinking that ritualistic, religiously busy living is spiritual
living. There are a whole lot of things that we do, or that we have, that can cause us to boast. The Apostle,
Paul, had many things about which he could boast. He goes on in Philippians 3:5-6 to let us know some of those things in which he could have boasted. Philippians 3:5-6 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Even
before Paul had his experience with Jesus, he had much in which he could boast. He was the epitome of religious position
and zeal. He did everything just the way the scriptures indicated. He came from the right place, being from
the tribe of Benjamin. He was a wonderful Pharisee, following the law strictly. He was, "an Hebrew
of the Hebrews!" Even when he persecuted the early church, he did so with all his might because he thought
he was doing God a favor! The righteousness that can be found in the law made him blameless, so he thought.
The trouble with that is that his whole paradigm changed when he met the Lord Jesus. After that, Paul realized
that he could never be righteous enough by his position, religious activity or zeal. He found that his righteousness
was a gift given by the only One who could, and did, live a righteous life in our place! Romans 3:21-24 (AMP) 21 But
now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is
attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 Namely, the righteousness of God which
comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who
believe. For there is no distinction, 23 Since all have sinned and are falling short
of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. 24 [All] are justified and
made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through
the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, Yes, this same Paul, who once had his eyes blinded
to the truth wrote Romans 3:21-24! Paul could have topped us all with things
to boast or brag about but, after meeting Jesus, Paul knew that, even though we might have position and fortune in which
we could put our trust, it is useless to trust in anything but the Lord Jesus and the righteousness He gives us as His gift.
There are so many things that you and I could think of to boast about, or in which (or in whom) we could
put our trust. But, none of these things or people will be with us forever. None of our, "religious busyness,"
will count for anything if we have not first come to an intimate relationship with Jesus. Only Jesus will be with
us forever! He told us so, if we will be content with what we have. Hebrews 13:5-6 (NLT) 5 Don’t love
money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no
fear. What can mere people do to me?” Notice in Hebrews 13:5-6, the writer tells us not to love money (don't put your confidence in it). As we are all experiencing,
worldwide, money is not something in which we can put a lot of trust! But God has said, we can trust in Him when we
seek His Kingdom and righteousness, first! Matthew 6:33-34 (KJV) 33 But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof. Some of us have more stuff, position, talents, etc. than others.
But, we all have things in our lives in which we are tempted to trust instead of putting our full confidence in God.
In what or in whom do you have confidence today? Your job? Your doctor? Your medication? Your health?
Your psychiatrist? Your personal trainer? Your parents? Your spouse? Your children? Your property?
Your retirement account? Your bank account? Your car or cars? Your government? Your preacher?
Your church? Your perfect Sunday School attendance? Your community volunteer work? It doesn't matter.
We could just keep naming things that people tend to put their trust in, and even brag about. Paul had a lot of
these things but, in the end, he found that his confidence and trust could be placed in only One! Remember the little
song that went something like this? "I can do anything you can do better. I can do anything better than
you." Cute, but not too scriptural. If we're in competition with one another, constantly bragging
about what we have or what we have done, our focus will be misplaced. It will certainly not be on the Lord and His
Kingdom! It will continue to be on, "I." On ourselves. Paul was able to see that he made
the choice to take his focus off of himself. He was very human just like the rest of us but, through his
close relationship with Jesus, he became a man of joy in the midst of suffering. He received the righteousness of Jesus
and, consequently, wanted others to receive it too. He no longer took joy and trusted in his position and
personal achievements. He turned his focus to the concerns of the Lord and placed his confidence in the Lord to
help him in every situation. He turned his heart to the spiritual welfare and lives of those to whom he
ministered. He decided not to boast in anything but Christ. With all the stuff there is out there in
the world to boast about, have we, like Paul, made the choice to, while thanking God for all the gifts we have, at the
same time, purposely deciding never to boast in them. Have we decided like Paul that our only boast will be in
what Jesus has done for us and can do for others? What are you boasting about? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 25, 2010 WHERE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE? Philippians 3:3 (NKJV) Don't we get entangled with the political parties of today? In fact, belonging to an opposing
political party can part the best of friends. It should not be so, but it is. These factions are carried over
into the church today, but it really wasn't any different in the days of the Apostle, Paul. There were a certain group
of Jewish people who had come to believe in Christ. They believed, but they were still hung up in the law. They
insisted on the Jewish rite of circumcision for themselves and also for the Gentile believers. This sort of split
the believers. Those who were insistent upon trying to fulfill the law by the ritual of circumcision were called the,
"circumcision party." Although Peter was one of the greatest men of God ever, he got tangled up in this
mess at one point. Now many of the Jewish people had heard that the Gentiles received God's word. Acts 11:1 1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles
had also received the word of God. When Peter was in Jerusalem at one time, he had to contend with those
of, "the circumcision party." Acts 11:2 (KJV) 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision
contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat
with them. These people that gave Peter a hard time were from the, "old school." Even
though they were willing to believe in Jesus, they still thought that they had to fulfill the law and, even if it could be
so that a Gentile could be saved, it would take more than grace. The Gentiles, too, would have to perform
the ritualistic rite of circumcision. Isn't it hard to accept change when we've always done something a certain way?
We, as they say, "get set in our ways," which can be detrimental in seeing and following The Way.
The Apostle, Paul, is saying, here in Philippians 3:3 that believers are the circumcision. How can that be? First of all, Paul was not referring to the physical rite of circumcision. Paul was a well-learned Jew.
He knew the scriptures. He probably knew this one too: Deuteronomy 30:6 (KJV) 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine
heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest
live. Long before Jesus set His feet on earth as a man, Moses had told the people that God
would circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their children so that they could love God with all their hearts. So
that they could really live. Now, Paul knew that this saying of Moses was fulfilled in Jesus. No more would people have
to be ritualistic and keep men's traditions. Jesus had come and fulfilled the whole law. No one else had really
been able to do it. All their religious activity could never save them. These works fell away when Jesus gave,
anyone who would receive it, the gift of salvation. Those who believe in Jesus have their hearts circumcised by God
Himself! Now, worship is seen from the inside out. Not from the trappings, traditions, and rituals
that people do to look well in front of other people. Some even deceive themselves by thinking they look good
to God! So, now, all who believe, are the, "circumcision." What makes the difference between one circumcised in the flesh and one who has had his or her heart circumcised
by God? For one thing, we worship God in Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, who has come to dwell in our hearts.
Jesus, in speaking to a Samaritan woman, who would never have been thought eligible for salvation for several reasons,
told her this: John 4:21-24 (KJV) 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the
hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. There it is! True worshippers
worship the Father in spirit and in truth. That's the way it has to be because God is a Spirit. When our spirit
connects with His Spirit, worship takes place. It doesn't matter if we are a Jew or a Gentile. It doesn't matter
whether one has undergone physical circumcision or has not. It doesn't matter if we're a man or a woman! It
doesn't matter whether we speak English or some other language. It doesn't matter what color our hair is or if it's
long or short. It doesn't matter what our clothes look like. Nothing matters except the magnification of God
in spirit and in truth! Now, that can play out today as we let denominational walls fall and really seek God's
Kingdom and not be too enamored with our own little kingdoms. That's the truth! People who find the freedom to
worship God in spirit and in truth, in spite of all of their baggage from the past, are set free! John 8:36 (NLT) 36 So
if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Let me ask you, can anyone who is spiritually bound
up, or chained up, really rejoice? I don't think so. But, those of the true circumcision, those who
have believed in Jesus and received His gift of freedom can do nothing but rejoice! Joy is one of the main
themes in Paul's letter to the Philippians, and to us! We don't need to place our confidence in the flesh anymore!
Jesus has done everything that is needed; and, He has given us everything we need to live a life that is pleasing to our
Father! We, as believers, have confidence! But, that confidence doesn't come from anything we can do.
It comes from Jesus! We have been set free to become the true circumcision, which has nothing to do with the fleshly
ritual and everything to do with God's work in our hearts! We worship God in the Spirit. We rejoice over what
God has done in and for us, through Jesus. We have no confidence in the flesh. Our total confidence is in
the finished work of Jesus and that confidence will never leave us! So, what else can we do but rejoice! Where
is your confidence? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 24, 2010 BEWARE! Philippians 3:2 (KJV) 2 Beware of dogs, beware
of evil workers, beware of the concision. If you are a parent, there are some things that you really try to instill in your young children.
For instance, "beware of strangers!" You do this because you don't want to see them taken advantage of in
any way, led astray, hurt, or worse. I had so put this fear of strangers in my oldest child's heart that, as she was
walking home from school one day, she reacted just as I had told her to do, if she was accosted by a stranger. She
started screaming and yelling. She was not far from home and I looked out to find that the man on the corner had said,
"hello," to her. Well, that did it. She reacted just as instructed. I felt badly for the poor
man out doing his yard work but I was happy that she had listened to me about how to react. (Maybe I didn't explain
it well enough!) The Apostle, Paul, cared about the believers in the Philippian congregation so much that he just had
to tell them to, "beware." To beware is to take a mental note of something and to take heed of a thing.
Jesus used this word in Mark 8:15, (KJV) 15 And
he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. It
was also used it in Acts 13:40. Paul used it here in Philippians 3:2 and then again in Colossians 2:8. Perhaps Paul was a little bit like I was when I explained the necessity to beware of strangers
to my little daughter. Three times in Philippians 3:2, Paul used this word, "Beware." When a parent tells a child something more than once, we can be pretty
sure that it's something of importance. Paul tells the Philippians (and us) three times to, "beware."
Take note of and take heed of, certain people. The first thing Paul says is to beware of dogs. Now, I told my
daughter to beware of dogs also but I meant stray dogs. Paul actually meant people who had gone astray!
He was speaking of Jewish believers who were called Judaizers. They were the religious ones who had done everything
to keep the letter of the law. Now that Jesus had given salvation to anyone who would believe (Jews and Gentiles alike),
the Judaizers were upset about the grace given to those who would, by faith, believe. The religious Jews were more
interested in what they did than what God saw on the inside. Their pride got in the way and perhaps some jealousy
because they just assumed that the new Gentile believers would have to follow every aspect of the law, as the religious Jews
had done all of their lives. They didn't get it, so, if a new Gentile believer was accosted by one of these, "dogs,"
they would probably come away hurt and confused, thinking they could, "do something," to obtain salvation.
The religious people could not get it through their heads that salvation was a gift of grace, received simply by faith
in Jesus. They insisted on the fact that you had to, "do something," to please God. Since they felt
that they had to, "do something," they wanted to place their own inaccurate judgment on new Gentile believers. There
are two other, "bewares," in this verse. Paul says to beware of evil workers. The original
meaning of these two words in this passage, "evil workers," literally means, "worthless toilers," or
"worthless teachers." If a new believer came into close contact with one of these misdirected Jewish believers, they
would come away with a worthless teaching. God didn't, and doesn't, expect us to do something in order to make Him
love us. He loves all of us! He loved us enough to send Jesus to die for us so that we could receive the
gift of salvation simply by faith in the, "done deal." We can't, "do," any more to seal the deal.
Jesus did it all! The third, "beware," coming from Paul is this: "beware of concision."
What in the world is concision? I had to look it up! It is, "to cut." It has to do with
cutting something off and with mutilation. Paul is contemptuously referring to the circumcision that the
Judaizers were insisting had to be done by the new Gentle believers in Christ. What Paul was doing was setting the
stage for the next few lines in his letter to the Philippian believers, and to us. As they might say in
the south, he was "fixin'," to show another truth of God. To show that salvation has to do with what has
already been done by God and that we cannot add a thing to it! He was concerned for his spiritual children in Philippi and he
was concerned for all who would come after him, including you and me. He didn't want us to think of salvation as anything
we could, "do." But, some, because of pride of what they have done, jealously because others aren't required
to do all of that, and ignorance of the saving grace of God, tried to mold new believers into what they wanted them
to be. God is so very good. He doesn't want us to be what others want us to be. He wants us to be what
He wants us to be and what He created us to be. He sees us from the inside out and that's where He begins
His work of salvation in us. We might not yet be all that God created us to be and most others are not yet there either.
We can't fix others from the outside in by insisting on some religious ritual like the Judaizers insisted on circumcision.
We must open our own hearts before the Lord and allow Him free reign to work and make us into His image. Instead
of trying to change other believers ourselves, we must pray for them and leave the rest to God. Trying to
mold someone else is usurping the job of God. I can't imagine that He takes that lightly! Beware of people
who try to mold you and, even more importantly, beware of trying to mold someone else into your version of who they
should be. Beware, because that is God's job; and we're all somewhere in the process of His work on us from the
inside out! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 FINALLY REJOICE! Philippians 3:1 (KJV) If you are a parent and, because you were
once a child, you have probably heard the following phrase or said it at one time or another. "How many times
to I have to tell you?" Well, some of us, like me, are very slow learners! Or, we may have a bit deficient
in the area of attention. We might hear it but let it go in one ear and out the other! Most of us can use
reminders from time to time (some need more than others). The Apostle, Paul, has written several hard things to the
Philippian believers. Among the things that Paul has written about are humility, self-sacrifice, unity, etc. Paul
did write the letter to the Philippian church to encourage them by letting them know that he had received their help from
the hand of Epaphroditus and by letting them know that God had spared their brother-in-the Lord from an illness that was
death-defying. However, Paul could not help himself from still trying to keep his flock in Philippi safe. And
that concern reaches right down to you and me in our own lives! So, in the midst of encouragement, as Paul does often,
he includes words of reminders, instructions, and general information for the safety of the believer. Many find Paul's
sayings a bit hard to take, today. There were those, in Paul's day, that had the same problem. Paul says it like
it is and lets the chips fall where they may. But, in all of it, his love for those he has taught, and for us, shows
through. It's not as though he were just preaching to hear himself preach. It's not as though he insisted on
being the only one who was right. It was a careful and intentional God-given concern for those who followed him that
made him tell the truth! Ephesians 4:15 (AMP) 15 Rather,
let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let
us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
I don't know about you, but, I know that I don't have a hard time telling the truth about God's Word.
It's just that, many times, I do not enfold the truth in love! How are you doing in that area? Telling the truth, but telling it in and with great love for another, will always
bring joy to the teller and the receiver of God's truth! Without love, it is as, Paul also says, just an extremely
irritating and ugly noise! That kind of noise is not going to further God's Kingdom. It will only
serve to drive people from God's Kingdom eliciting remarks such as, "He (or she) is just a Bible-thumper"!
Love makes the difference! Sincerely wanting the best for others is what will draw them toward Christ instead of pushing
them away. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (NLT) 1 If I could speak
all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. In
the family of God, just like in our earthly families, there are all sorts of spiritual ages. Spiritual ages don't
always correspond to biological ages. Babies require an extreme amount of love and caring! Babies can't digest
meat. Spiritual babies can't always digest the meat of the Word of God. 1 Peter 2:2 (KJV) 2 As
newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
We know that when a baby cries for it's bottle, it isn't asking for a steak dinner. It wouldn't know
what to do with a steak dinner, nor could it digest the thing! Babies are only supposed to remain babies for a
short season. Paul was aware that he had spiritual children, but his desire for them was that they grow up
in the Lord. He knew he would not be on earth forever to watch out over them and he wanted them to grow in wisdom
and be able to fend for themselves when he was gone. Isn't that what parents want for their children? A parent
with wisdom will try to teach their children the ways of the Lord, and the way to get along on earth, so that their
child will be able to take care of themselves and then teach others. As our children get older, they will ask
for meat because they need the meat to keep them alive and growing and they slowly become able to digest a good piece of
steak. In the meantime, we might just have to remind them of the same things over and over again so that they don't
lose sight of the goal! So that they are prepared. So that they can go forth in life with joy, knowing who they
are in Christ and being able to listen and obey Him, without us. Even though, Paul says, "finally," these are not his final words in the letter to the Philippians.
He's about to give us all some more warnings but he interjects something important here which really will be the final outcome
of obedience and accepting reminders in and from the Lord. Rejoice! Over and over again, Paul reminds us
to have joy and to re-joice. To have joy and have joy again! Paul wants us to keep our joy in
the Lord in all situations! Do you wonder why? I think I know why. The enemy would love to steal
our joy. Then he would also have our strength. Even in the Old Testament, Nehemiah and Ezra reminded the
people of the Lord that they were to rejoice. Because the joy of the Lord was their strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Paul carries the theme of joy in, and of, the Lord throughout his hard writings. He also demonstrated
it in his own life, giving up his own desires and needs because of his great love for the Lord and the people whom the Lord
had given him to shepherd. Paul is a strict spiritual father, but one that loved deeply and was even willing
to sacrifice his own life for the lives of his spiritual children. Since he knew he would not be on earth forever,
he wanted them to grow up. The writer of the Book of Hebrews puts it this way (which is in total agreement with
Paul's desires). Hebrews 5:11-14 (NLT) 11 There
is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull
and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that
you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You
are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who
lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid
food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Growing
up spiritually will find us more and more able to let the joy Jesus has given us bubble up and flow, even in the most trying
circumstances. Just like Paul. His joy was not in his circumstances. It was in seeing the spiritual
needs of people met and in glorifying His Lord. The circumstances took a back seat as he constantly gave us examples
of what brought him joy and demonstrated this strange, God-like joy, despite his sufferings. Today, let us take
joy in the Lord. That joy will keep us going strong. Then let us rejoice in the Lord, rejoicing just because
He is who He is; and, He has brought us this far! Paul never would stop reminding people to be joyful and to rejoice.
No matter what. Then, he demonstrated by doing it himself. In all of our circumstances, good and bad, does God
finally find us rejoicing? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 EVERYBODY MATTERS Philippians 2:25 (KJV) 25 Yet I supposed it
necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he
that ministered to my wants. Epaphroditus was a messenger sent from the Philippian church to minister to Paul while he was in prison in Rome.
The name, Epaphroditus, means, "lovely," "handsome," "charming." I'm sure that he was
all of those things to Paul. Being a messenger sent from the church at Philippi, to do a specific mission, some
have called him called an, "apostle." However, to Paul, he was a representative of the collective congregation
at Philippi, bringing aid to Paul in this, his first Roman imprisonment. We have seen how God has sent several people into
Paul's life at specific times and for specific purposes. They are basically simple and unknown people who just have
a heart for God, a heart for people, and a heart for Paul. I wonder if you can think back in your life and remember
specific people that God sent into your life for specific needs you had at a specific time. I can. I'm thankful
for each and every one of them. Some people come into our lives for a season and then we might never see them again;
or else see them many years later. But, God has allowed paths of certain people to cross with other people for His
own purposes and because of His great love and care for us. Epaphroditus was important to Paul and Paul was important
to Epaphroditus because God was important to both of them! It is said that Paul tells us about Epaphroditus in three
ways, perhaps in ascending scale. He was Paul's brother in the Lord, a position of common sympathy. He was Paul's
fellow-worker, a position of common work. He was also Paul's fellow-soldier, indicating common danger, toil, and suffering.
(from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We
are all fellow-workers in Christ (some of us closer than others), and we are all fellow-soldiers. 2 Timothy 2:3-4 (AMP) 3 Take
[with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of
Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises
of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. Some of us fight in close
physical proximity to one another but we all fight together, the good fight of faith. Time and distance mean nothing
to God when it comes to fighting and working together. Time and distance are not important either, between brothers
and sisters in the Lord for the Lord is in the midst of all of us believers! Everybody is active in some way
and everybody matters! Epaphroditus not only helped
Paul and met many of his needs, but he was a minister to his Philippians brothers and sisters, was well. The word,
"wants," in Philippians 2:25 really means necessities. I have read that, in Paul's day, the state did not provide for the
needs of prisoners. They were really on their own and they needed family or friends to bring them food and the other
necessities of life. This is what Epaphroditus was doing for Paul on behalf of all of the other believers in the church
at Philippi. They were not all able to take the trip to be with Paul in Rome, so Epaphroditus was sent. There
is some belief that Epaphroditus may have been a man of means and, thus, able to help meet some of Paul's needs with
his own personal finances. However, the thing that Paul is emphasizing about Epaphroditus is that he was devoted
to laboring for the cause of Christ, by helping Paul. Some believe that Epaphroditus became ill on the journey
to Rome but that he pressed in so that he would not fail to carry out his mission for the Lord. In whatever way it
happened, Epaphroditus did become very ill. Like most of us, when we are ill, he longed to be back home in Philippi.
He longed for his friends and perhaps family there. He knew that they had gotten word that he was deathly ill; but,
he also that they did not know that God had stepped in and spared his life. So, he felt badly that they felt badly! Philippians 2:26 (KJV) 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because
that ye had heard that he had been sick. Information, back then, traveled very slowly, not like our lightning-speed
internet and other means of communication. Probably a courier had passed through Rome, picked up the news of Epaphroditus's
illness, and delivered it in his journeys when he went through Philippi. There was no modern medicine in those days
either. When one would contract a severe illness, one might expect to die. The believers at Philippi
probably knew about Epaphroditus's illness from a courier message but they did not yet know that he had miraculously
recovered! That is one of the reasons Paul wrote them the letter which Epaphroditus probably carried back to them himself
when Paul sent him back to Philippi. Epaphroditus, although
mentioned only twice in the scriptures made a big difference in Paul's life and in the life of his church at Philippi!
In the process, he got very sick, even to the point of death. As we like to say, "But God.........."
Philippians 2:17 (KJV) 27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him;
and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. In some way, God miraculously
stepped into the situation with mercy! He not only saw to it that Epaphroditus was brought back from the brink of
death, He spared Paul much sorrow. If you have, or have had, a special spiritual sister or brother that has helped
you in any way, you know what sorrow you can feel if they become sick and, especially, if they pass away. Paul
already had lots of sorrow and suffering in his life but he is not focusing on that in this case, except to say that God
spared him sorrow upon sorrow by bringing recovery to Epaphroditus. But, Epaphroditus's friends and family in Philippi
did not yet know that they had also been spared sorrow. Most of them would have expected that Epaphroditus had died
so, when he appeared carrying Paul's letter to them (which explained Epaphroditus's own situation), Paul knew that
they would be overjoyed! Philippians 2:18 (KJV) 28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him
again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Paul loved both the Philippian believers
and Epaphroditus. Paul was more concerned about their joy than even his own! He would have less sorrow about
his own situation if he knew that they were rejoicing upon the return to them of a healed, Epaphroditus! How
unselfish is that? What an example to us! Epaphroditus, for the love of the Lord, pressed on in his mission so
fervently that his own health deteriorated to the point of death. But God stepped in, bringing glory to Himself in
Epaphroditus's healing. Paul, perhaps even being willing to be found without his necessities being met, joyfully sent
Epaphroditus back to Philippi so that he could be cared for by his friends and family after his near-death experience.
Everybody mattered to Paul. Epaphroditus mattered to his fellow-believers in Philippi and they mattered to
him! So, Paul not only sent Epaphroditus back home but he sent instructions to the Philippian believers that
they were to receive Epaphroditus with gladness, in the Lord. To give him honor because he did not regard his
life more than he regarded serving the Lord and helping Paul to continue serving. Philippians 2:29-30 (KJV) 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold
such in reputation: 30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not
regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. Epaphroditus was simply a messenger,
"one sent," (which is another way to describe an apostle). However, Epaphroditus was a humble man,
willing to serve to the death so that the Apostle, Paul, might have his needs met and continue getting the gospel message
out from the prison. Many call themselves, "apostles," today but some don't look much like the humble
Epaphroditus. If Paul had not spoken of him, none of us would know of him today but God doesn't miss a thing!
Epaphroditus has his reward now in Heaven, without ever, "tooting his own horn." He just did want he was
sent to do because Paul mattered. Because his fellow Philippian believers mattered. And, because his focus
was on His Lord. Even though Epaphroditus does not have a whole lot of worldly fame, he matters a lot
in the whole scheme of God. You and I matter too. God was willing to let us see a little example of relationships
that matter between Paul, Epaphroditus, and the believers at Philippi. Even these small areas of scripture speak
much more than just the few words contained in them. They help us to see that everybody matters to the Lord.
If everybody matters to the Lord, and if everyone can make a difference, then what are we doing today that will
make a difference to the Lord and in other's lives. It matters! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 AS A SON WITH A FATHER Philippians 2:22 (KJV) 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father,
he hath served with me in the gospel. Timothy was a young man but he was the Apostle, Paul's, right hand man. Paul, writing from prison,
seems to have felt that many had let him down when it came to the advancement of the gospel message. Philippians 2:20 (KJV) 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your
state. It seems that no one felt compelled, like Paul did, to care for the state of the believers
in Philippi. No one except for Timothy. And, Timothy did not let Paul down. Timothy was a young
man who, with Paul, was likeminded. Paul was very zealous about caring for those to whom he had ministered the gospel
but, being in prison, it was hard for him to really know how those in the Philippian church were doing. At the
time of the writing of his letter to the Philippian believers, Paul was in Rome, in prison, and Timothy was
also in Rome. Timothy had also gone with him on missionary journeys. It was during Paul's
second journey that the Philippian church was born and Timothy was there to witness the birth. Timothy probably
knew Paul better than anyone on earth. He had traveled with Paul and, basically, was mentored by Paul even though
he had a mother and grandmother who were strong in the faith. 2 Timothy 1:5 (NLT) 5 I remember your
genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same
faith continues strong in you. Timothy was like a son to Paul and Paul was like a father to
Timothy when it came to spreading the gospel message. Although Timothy had proven himself loyal to Paul and served him well just like a son would serve a father, the
believers in Philippi were also Paul's spiritual children. In my imagination, I can see Timothy as the caring big
brother. No other person seemed to care for the Philippian believers so much that they would be willing to follow orders
to go and see how they were doing. Like any loving parent would want to know how their children are doing, Paul
really wanted to know how the Philippian believers were doing. He planned to send Timothy to check out the situation.
But, I love the fact that Paul trusted the Lord regarding Timothy's trip to Philippi. One paraphrase (The
Living Bible) says, "If the Lord is willing, I will send Timothy to see you soon." Paul really, really
wanted to know about these believers in Philippi but Paul also trusted the Lord that the timing would be just right when
he sent Timothy to them. It is good for all of us to discern the Lord's timing when we do anything. To
do less would be relying on self instead of God. Proverbs 27:1 (AMP) 1 DO
NOT boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth. Paul was really wanting
to be cheered up and know that his, "children," in Philippi were doing well. Who wouldn't want some cheer
while sitting in a prison? But, Paul was willing to trust the Lord with the timing of his own desires.
He was also careful to trust God with young Timothy's life. Paul was a man of joy and rejoicing. He put God first,
Timothy second and his own desires last. Jesus, Others, Yourself equals JOY! You and I can learn much today
from Paul's teaching. But, he didn't just preach and teach. He set an example! Trusting God's timing
and setting an example will prove to help us in making an effort to spread the gospel message. Paul could have been depressed and discouraged. Here he was, imprisoned in Rome, with only one other
who seemed to care about helping new believers to become established in the faith. Philippians 2:21 (KJV) 21 For
all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. How many people do you know today
that seem to be engrossed in their own plans and their own agenda, seemingly never even considering the things of Christ?
If we were honest with ourselves, how many of us would fall into this category to one extent or another?
Today our world is all about self. There is even a whole magazine with that title! You and I are living
in a self-centered world and it is so easy to go along with the crowd. It seems that it was not much different in
the time of Paul and Timothy! Paul had the desire to go to Philippi himself but, of course, he had been detained
in a Roman jail. We all need someone to help us out from time to time. The circumstances of life
sometimes hem us in and we can't get out to do what we desire to do for the Lord. But, we can do something!
God is so good to send us friends who will help us and work closely with us to get the gospel out, help disciple others,
and bring us encouragement and cheer! Timothy was all of that for Paul. Can you imagine what our Bible
would look like if it had not been for Timothy? Young as he was, and apparently sometimes intimidated by others
because of his age, Timothy made a great big difference in the life of Paul. And in your life and mine. He was willing
to serve and he cared for the welfare of other believers! Are we like Paul and Timothy? Is our first concern
to get the gospel of Jesus to others and help them grow in the knowledge of the Lord? Do we trust in God's timing
for our every move? Do we encourage and uplift others who are having a hard time? Paul and Timothy were likeminded
in all of these areas, while many others seemed to be more imprisoned than Paul by their own desires and plans! Timothy
was as a son is to a father for Paul. You and I have the opportunity to have many Godly relationships with other
believers. Some are like sons to a father. Some are like daughters to a mother and vice-versa. We are
all sisters and brothers in the Lord and we can all learn from the God-centered relationship that Timothy and Paul
had with each other. Timothy encouraged Paul by doing what Paul was unable to do at the time and Paul encouraged Timothy with
his words of affirmation, even saying that Timothy was like a son to him. Even though in prison, Paul accepted his
circumstances with joy. Even though he could not get out to do what he wanted to do, he took joy in the gift of Timothy
in his life. The reason he wanted so desperately to know that the Philippians were growing and thriving in their faith
was because that was his joy! What brings us joy today? Is it things and position? These things will
pass away. Or, is our joy in our Lord and our earthly relationships that will last for eternity? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 20, 2010 WHAT ARE WE HOLDING FORTH? Philippians 2:16 (KJV) As I was reminded today, our destination should
not be our total focus. We should have joy in the journey! But, what if the journey includes being wrongly placed
in prison? That's what happened to Paul. He was put in prison simply because he preached the gospel of Jesus!
Most of his writings were from a prison, yet he is the one who says that we should live as lights shining in a dark world,
holding forth the Word of life. Demonstrating and preaching and teaching the gospel! Paul's journey in life was
not the most pleasant. After becoming an apostle of Christ, his life seemed to get worse, rather than better.
That is, if you look at his circumstances only. But, unlike many of us, Paul did not look at his circumstances as being
greater than the joy of his mission. When Paul had an encounter with Jesus, his whole life was changed. His
perspective was changed. The things that were important to him were no longer important. What was of
utmost importance to him was that he would succeed in presenting the gospel of Christ to all with whom he might come in
contact. The Lord answered that desire. Many times, Paul was chained to a Roman guard. Yet, he did not
hesitate to share the love and salvation of Christ with that guard and anyone else that might pass by. He didn't seem
to consider that he could be immediately persecuted, if not executed, for doing such a bold thing! The love of Christ
so filled Paul that he rejoiced at every possibility and opportunity for sharing that love with others, especially those
to whom he had ministered while on his missionary journeys. In his letter to the Philippian believers, he speaks much
of joy. In Philippians 2:16, he indicates that he wants to have joy when he finally sees Jesus. He wants to hear from Jesus those treasured and
hoped for words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." But, Paul knew that it was not just for his
own work that he would receive a reward. It would be also from the work and faithfulness of those to whom he had ministered,
if they continued in the faith. The letter to the Philippians
is not just to the Philippians. It is passed along to us by the inspiration of God. It is a part of the holy
scriptures that every generation after Paul has read and studied. You and I can be a part of Paul's reward, just as
those we help along in the faith can be a part of our reward. Paul wanted the Philippian believers to hold forth the
Word of life. That is the Word of the Lord. He was looking forward to rejoicing in the day of Christ because
many had carried the torch and lit up their dark world with the Word. Not many of us have sat chained in prison.
Hopefully, we will not have to endure such tribulation. However, all of us have been, at one time or another, chained
in the prisons of our own making. Some of us, chained in prisons in which others have tried to lock us in. However,
in these prisons of life, the Word of Life is the key to our release. Paul was not released from the prisoner's chains
or the bars of the prison but he was released from the prison of a bad attitude and a skewed perspective. He had learned
to be content in every situation. Each new trial had helped him to further his learning to be content.
I wonder if we, when we go through trials and temptations, consider them to be opportunities rather than obstacles in life.
That's what Paul seems to have done. He had joy in his journey, even though his journey included things like imprisonment,
shipwreck, beatings, stonings, and even a thorn in his side from the enemy! Nothing stopped him from proclaiming,
or holding forth the Word of Life! What are the things that threaten us to stop holding forth the Word of Life?
For me, I have to confess that sometimes circumstances affect my attitude rather than my attitude affecting my circumstances.
When that happens, I probably miss an opportunity to show the love and power of Jesus. Instead of holding forth the
Word, I just may start to complain. Instead of rejoicing because I have opportunity in a trial to show that God is
with me, I murmur and become displeasing to God and to those around me. Not Paul! Mentor that Paul was, he wanted
us all to have his attitude of rejoicing, even in troubles! None
of us want to have toiled in this life, only to find that our work was useless! Paul was no different. The Philippian
believers were a part of his toil. He wanted to see them succeed in the faith and bring others to the faith.
Paul was willing to be sacrificed, to be executed, if it meant that it would bring glory to God and help others to keep the
faith. Philippians 2:17 (NLT) 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like
a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. How
about that! Paul was willing to rejoice even if he lost his life in service to God and others. He was even
willing to pour out his life as an offering to God. He encouraged the Philippians (and us) that our service is an offering
to God. He wanted us to share his joy in service and in sacrifice. Philippians 2:18 (NLT) 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
So, are we rejoicing today that we have the opportunity to share the Word of Life with a dying world?
Are we rejoicing that we can serve God and others, even in tough circumstances? I heard a very good sermon from
my pastor this morning. He was basically encouraging us in the congregation that we could make a difference for the
Lord in the lives of others. Like Paul, he was encouraging the congregation to hold forth the Word of Life.
Will I be a part of my pastor's reward on the day of Christ? Will I bring joy to him and to others who have
taught me and helped me to know and receive the Word of Life? Will you? And will others go on, in generations
to come, holding forth the Word of Life because we have encouraged them, rejoiced with them, and taken joy in them
while teaching and serving them? There is joy in the journey and those who are willing to complete the journey in faith
will rejoice even more at the day of Christ. There will be times in the journey when God delivers us from prisons
and other times when he gives us the grace to have a good perspective and a good attitude in the prison. Either
way, we can rejoice and bring joy to those who have helped and taught us. But, most of all, we can return to Jesus
the joy that He has so graciously given to us when we see Him face to face. We can hear the sweet words of affirmation,
"Well done, good and faithful servant." May we discover joy in the journey, constantly holding forth
the Word of Life, so that we will rejoice when we get to our destination! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 19, 2010 HOW DO YOU DO EVERYTHING? Philippians 2:14 (KJV) How many
times have you complained in the last twenty-four hours? I hope the answer is that you have not complained one time
in the last twenty-four hours. But, sadly, I must confess that many times I do complain! As I read
Philippians 2:14, I see that Paul tells us to do most things without murmurings and disputings. Then, as I look closely,
I see that he doesn't say, most things. He says all things! Of course, being curious as to the meanings
of the key words in this verse, I began to look them up. Murmurings can mean several things. Strong's
Dictionary describes it as grumbling and grudging. Oh my! Looking further into the Vine's Dictionary, I found
out that murmuring is muttering. I will not deny that I have gone away from certain situations and conversations muttering
(even though it may have been under my breath). I would like to think I'm the only one that has done that but, alas,
I fear that many of us have found ourselves in that position at one time or another. Here's an example of some
murmuring. John 7:12 (KJV) 12 And there was much
murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
Instead of being forthright and open, the people, in this example, murmured among themselves about Jesus.
They complained among themselves, some with one idea about Jesus and some with another idea about Jesus. Some
said He was a good man but others said that He was a deceiver. Interestingly, neither was exactly right and they were
divided. That's what happens in the Body of Christ when we get into our own opinions about Jesus (or anything else
for that matter) and we begin to murmur among ourselves. No wonder Paul said we should do all things without
murmurings! Among the early believers, the Greeks and the Hebrews murmured over the treatment of their widows!
Acts 6:1 (KJV) 1 And in those
days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because
their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. If we have a mind to murmur or complain, we don't
have to look very far to find something to murmur about, do we? The Apostle, Peter, used this same word here:
1 Peter 4:9 (KJV) 9 Use
hospitality one to another without grudging. Have you ever extended hospitality and then started
complaining when you found out there was lots of work to do beforehand and cleaning up afterward? Honestly, have
you ever asked yourself, "Why did I extend that invitation or agree to do that thing?" If we have ever
done this, it just may be that we need to work on doing things without grudging. Obviously, if the Bible tells
us to extend hospitality to one another without grudging, it is most likely that we might be tempted to do things grudgingly
at times! As I looked at the word, "disputings,"
in both the Strong's and Vine's Dictionary's, I was impressed with the implication of doubt within this word. Anything
that includes doubt is sinful and not of faith. Jesus said the following: Matthew 21:21 (KJV) 21 Jesus answered and
said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig
tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
In essence, our faith cannot include doubt. If we reason in our minds (which is one of the meanings implied in the
word, "disputings"), we will rarely have faith. This is evident in the fact that, many times,
we don't see the mountains in our life move. Our prayers sometimes feel like they are hitting the ceiling. Several
times, within the scriptures, Jesus asked people, "Why did you doubt." The Apostle, Paul, gives us the
principle showing that whatever is not of faith (hence mixed with doubt) is sin. Romans 14:23 (KJV) 23 And he that
doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. This
same word, translated, "disputings," is translated, "doubting," in the following verse. 1 Timothy 2:8 (KJV) 8 I
will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. When we
pray, it's got to be without doubting or disputings! This word, "disputings," also has to do with imaginations.
Sometimes our imaginations get the best of us and we can talk ourselves right out of faith. James has said that a
double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. And, when these disputings are spread within the church and within our
daily activities, we will find that we are not doing all things properly! There will be disunity and factions
will arise. It should not be so in the church and in our lives! Why Does Paul tell us to do all things without murmuring and disputings? He doesn't hesitate to
explain it to us in the very next verse. Philippians 2:15 (KJV) 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless,
the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
God is so good to help us understand why He says what He does! God wants you and me to be
blameless and harmless! Blameless in the sense that no one will be able to, honestly, find fault in us. He wants to
establish our hearts in love so that we are without blame before Him. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 (NLT) 12 And may the Lord
make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. 13
May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our
Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. We're to be harmless in the sense that we
are, "unmixed," "innocent," and "simple." Just like Jesus! Without rebuke.
Unblameable. This is because, as we all know, very well, that we live in a crooked and distorted time.
We live in a perverse and morally corrupt time. Many nations have turned away from God, just as He said they would.
The times are dark. It is a time when light is sorely needed. So, God wants us to gleam like bright
stars against the black backdrop of the depravity of which we are in the midst. I remember that Jesus did not
ask the Father to take us out of the world. John 17:15-16 (KJV) 15 I
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. So, here we are, you and I, in
the midst of the darkness. Believers in Christ, needing to walk in love and be united so that there are no murmurings
or disputings within or among us. As the unity comes, and as we begin to more and more do all things without murmurings
and disputings, our light will shine so much brighter and God will be glorified and pleased. I admit, that, for me,
that's a big order. But, may the Lord work, as He does so well, in and among and through each of us so that
His light will allow us to shine as stars for Him! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 18, 2010 ARE YOU WORKING IT OUT? Philippians 2:12 (KJV) There are many things in our lives that we have to work out. Can we work it out so that all of our bills are
paid on time? Can we work out a relationship that is less than optimum? Can we work out the problems on our
homework? How about the challenging situations in our employment? Many things in life must be worked out but
none is so important as our salvation! This might be confusing to us because we may have been taught that we cannot
work to achieve salvation. That is exactly right. Salvation is a gift we receive from the Lord when we turn
from our sin and receive Jesus as our Savior. Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV) 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them. It is the same Apostle, Paul, that tells
us to work out our salvation that told us in, Ephesians 2:8, that our salvation is a gift. Some have thought that Paul contradicted himself in his writings but, since all scripture
is inspired by God, (1 Timothy 3:16), I'm sure this is not a contradiction on Paul's part. For one thing, the word used in Philippians 2:12, "work out," can also be translated with the word, "wrought," which is something that has already been
done. In the Strong's Dictionary, the words we see as, "work out," in Philippians 2:12 means, "to work fully." In other words our salvation is something that we accomplish, finish and fashion
by performing it throughout our life. We've all met those who say that they have received salvation but their fruit
doesn't bear witness of that. At one given time or another, we, ourselves, may be judged to look like we have not
received salvation because we have momentarily slipped back into our carnal nature. However, salvation is a gift
of God and it cannot be worked for but it can be worked out by letting Jesus, who now lives in us, show forth in our
daily living! I am looking at Philippians 2:13 (KJV) 13 For it is God which worketh
in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Now I see that it helps explain
Philippians 2:12. As we partner with God and let Him work through us, He will do just that to bring about His will in
our lives and in His bigger plan. He will perform His good pleasure in and through us. What an awesome
God we have. He tells us to work out our salvation but then He also tells us that He will be working in us to
help us obey! Unless we abide in the vine
(which is Jesus) we will not be able to do anything! John 15:4-5 (KJV) 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. Okay,
now I'm convinced that, if I receive the gift of salvation by faith and work it out by faith, as God works from the inside
out in me, I will come out on top. I know that God is the author and finisher of my faith and that gives me more hope.
He not only authored my faith. He has already finished it! Again, I don't always feel like it and I
certainly don't see the sparkling finished product with my own eyes. Nevertheless it is there! If you have believed
the same is true for you! So what is all the fear and trembling about that Paul speaks of in conjunction with working
out our faith? The Greek word translated, "fear," in the King James Version is phobos. It is much
like our word, phobia. When we were children, if we grew up in a fairly functional family, we knew that our daddy loved
us. We also knew that we were supposed to do what he told us to do. When we didn't do that, we knew we were
in trouble. It wasn't that our Daddy didn't love us any more. It wasn't that he was about to throw us out of
our home on our ear. But, we were going to bear some consequences for our misbehavior. I don't think anyone
could say that, when they were a child, and they knew their daddy was displeased with them, they felt no fear. Our Heavenly
Father is worthy of our reverential fear. Yes, He loves us; but Jesus also said that, if we loved Him, we would
obey His commandments. John 14:15 (KJV) 15 If ye love me, keep
my commandments. Just as when we were a child and knew that there would be discipline for being disobedient,
so we know that our Heavenly Father is the perfect Father and, when His children disobey, they should have a healthy
fear of the discipline that will come if the Father sees fit. Trembling means just what it sounds like. Or we
could say that we might quake with fear. I don't know about you but all my earthly dad had to do was point his
finger toward me when he felt that I was out of line and I started quaking! Real love, the kind our Father has
for us does not mean that He will let us go our own way without any discipline. In Proverbs we find that a parent
who does not discipline their child actually does not love them. Proverbs 13:24 (NLT) 24 Those who spare
the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Notice
that the good parent will not abuse their child or break their spirit by discouraging them. No. The good parent
will discipline in accordance with the offense, fairly and justly. In love. So, as we, by faith, accomplish,
through faith, the gift that our Father has given us of salvation, we ought to be in total awe of Him. It's true, we
can hide under His wings and He will never turn us away when we call to Him in trouble, even trouble of our own making.
But, there may be some pretty strict discipline going on if we have willfully gone our own way, disregarding our Father's
instructions! If you ask me that's pretty scary. No discipline is pleasant when it happens, but as the scripture
says, it is beneficial for our training in the working out of our salvation! Hebrews 12:11 (NLT) 11 No
discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of
right living for those who are trained in this way. I hope that I have a healthy fear of my Heavenly
Father as well as a fervent love for Him. This same God, who could mash us into the ground and destroy us if we disobey,
chooses to discipline us. The same God who could demand instant perfection from us, works with us as we grow in faith
and in the knowledge and working out of the gift of salvation He gave us. And, this is the same God who will pour
out His wrath on those who completely reject Him. Aren't you glad He's in your side if you have received
Jesus! Aren't you glad that He, who has the power to destroy the world and all that is in it, is the author and finisher
of your faith and your salvation! What a gift! What a God! Let's work it out with Him! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HUMILITY? Philippians 2:3 (KJV) 3 Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. I am self-centered. In and of myself,
that is my human nature. My natural self. That is the natural way of man. We can see it evidenced in all
that is going on in the world today. Many have taken their eyes off of God and are, as they used to say, "going
for the gusto." Going for anything that will please and prosper themselves. Many have obtained employment
by proudly declaring their outstanding talents and abilities but then failed, and brought others down with them, because
they trusted in themselves. They were too proud to acknowledge that they were nothing without God. Humility used
to be considered a virtue but, sadly, in our day, it is many times considered a weakness. Arrogance and pride have
become the, "virtues," of the day. Yes, I, in my natural state am self-centered. And, you are too.
We're born that way. We cry when we want food and we get it. We cry when we need to be cleaned up and changed
and we get it. It really is all about us when we're born and we're cute and cuddly enough to get the attention.
But, somewhere along the way, we grow. Unless we find the Lord Jesus Christ and become a new creature, we will grow
to be totally self-centered, prideful and arrogant. In
the scriptures we find the way to be more like Jesus. We can learn to be humble, just as He was when He walked this
earth. The Apostle, Paul, urges us in Philippians, Chapter 2, to make his joy complete. He is writing from prison
to those to whom he has ministered in Philippi. He wants them to be encouraged because they are united with Christ.
To find comfort from the love of Christ. To have communion with the Holy Spirit. To live a life of tenderness
and compassion. Now, if I was Paul, I might be saying, "Make my joy complete by helping me to get out of
this prison." But, Paul, by example, shows us that, no matter what our circumstances are in this life, God wants
our attitudes to be as described above. So, Paul writes, to the Philippians and, down through the ages, to us,
Philippians 2:2 (KJV) Could it be that we have fallen into the trap of the world and placed more emphasis on ourselves and our
local groups than we do on the Lord Himself? Could it be that we have overlooked the fact that we are to do nothing
out of selfish ambition? Nothing we do should be through strife or conceit. Rather, to be like Jesus, we need
to walk in humility thinking of others as superior to ourselves. In this world, that's a novel thought!
Have you ever heard this saying, "You've got to look out for number one"? Of course, the, "number one,"
is ourselves! Kingdom life in God's Kingdom is right-side up. It is the world that is upside-down.
Look at how Paul tells us to think, while at the same time being a living example of it himself as he writes from prison. Philippians 2:4 (KJV) 4 Look not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Wow! How many times have you seen
that happen lately? It really does happen, but that's not what you normally see on the nightly news. More
often than not, the news gives us features about killing and destroying others instead of looking to their needs.
Why? Because we are all, self-centered in the natural. It is only when we are super-naturally born again
and made new that we can do what is needed to become humble. What is needed? Just this: Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV) 5 Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 16, 2010 SOME THOUGHTS ON JOY Philippians 4:4 (NLT) 4 Always be full
of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Joy is a part of what comes
with our salvation. Jesus is our joy-giver. Do you have peace with God through Jesus? Are you filled with
the Holy Spirit? Are you enjoying the blessing that flows from that relationship?
Psalm 5:11-12 (KJV) In the Word of God, Jeremiah found joy and rejoicing!
Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV) 16 Thy words were
found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD
God of hosts. When did Jeremiah find the Word of the Lord? When he was in a valley of life.
Down and depressed. Yet, He chose to eat the Words. They became joy and rejoicing to his heart partly
because, in them, he was reminded that he was a child of God! When you and I seem the farthest away from
joy, God calls us to come and eat His Word. The Hebrew word used here for joy, means: "cheerfulness;
specifically welcome :- gladness, joy, mirth, rejoicing." - Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. Our
Father is a welcoming Father. He still speaks today through His Word. He spreads out a table before us in the
presence of our enemies and invites us to eat and receive joy. To eat of His spiritual food. The very manna
from Heaven. See what Jesus said! John 6:48-51 (NLT) 48 Yes,
I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness,
but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never
die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats
this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” What
joy is ours when we realize that the Bread of Life lives within us, if we have received Him. The manna that fell from
Heaven to sustain the Israelites on their journey to the promised land would spoil in just one day. The Word of God
never spoils and never changes. Jesus said that anyone who would eat this bread would live forever. It is when
we are feasting on His Word that the enemy cannot get close. He can only stand a good distance away, not able
to devour us! If you ask me, that is joy! That is worth singing, shouting and jumping about!
Jeremiah was seeing into the future when everyone in the world would be invited to the feast of the Bread of Life.
Everyone would be invited to eat and find life. Everyone would find joy and rejoicing in their hearts. That is,
everyone who would be willing to eat! Joy is not
automatic. It comes to us when we maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord. It grows as the Holy Spirit
gives us more and more of the knowledge of God being near to us. It is God's very presence that brings the greatest
joy. You and I can have that presence through the power of the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-21 (NLT) 15 “If
you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give
you another Advocate, who will never leave you. MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 WE'RE COVERED! Psalm 91:4 (KJV) The everyday experiences of life can leave you torn and the cold winds that blow can make
you want to cover yourself with a nice warm feather blanket and stay there till the gales subside. Aren't you
glad that God, Himself, covers us with his feathers and keeps us under His wings? Sometimes we start to depend on
other people for things but, really, the only safe place is under His wings! Psalm 118:8-9 (NLT) 8 It is better
to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people. 9 It is better to take refuge
in the LORD than to trust in princes. The Psalmist knew that he had to stay under the wings of
the Lord to be safe from all that was happening around him. He knew that refuge could not be found in people.
Not any people. Even the best of people. People are all flawed and they, like us, have their weaknesses.
It is not until we find that our only refuge can be under the wings of the Lord, where we will be covered by His feathers.
Feathers that will sooth our frazzled minds, ragged emotions, and worst fears. Certainly in times of great tragedy,
we know that we can find refuge in the Lord. There are those who determine to seek refuge and strength in other things.
We don't want to be them! Psalm 52:7 (AMP) 7 See, this is
the man who made not God his strength (his stronghold and high tower) but trusted in and confidently relied on the abundance
of his riches, seeking refuge and security for himself through his wickedness. This sort of person is
only going to find trouble everywhere he or she looks. Strength and refuge can only be found in the Lord. Those
who search for it in anything but God will find themselves in a big pickle. Psalm 52:5 (AMP) 5
God will likewise break you down and destroy you forever; He will lay hold of you and pluck you out of your
tent and uproot you from the land of the living. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Well, all I
can say is that I wouldn't want to be that one! Now, the only way that we will not end up like that person that seeks refuge in things or persons instead of God,
is if we keep our focus off of the things and people in this world and keep our main focus on God. He so desires
to guide our footsteps in safe places and to even give them strength in places that are difficult. 2 Samuel 22:34 (AMP) 34 He makes my
feet like the hinds’ [firm and able]; He sets me secure and confident upon the heights. Yes,
our God wants us to take our refuge in Him and He wants to give us hinds' feet with which to travel over the stony and many
time treacherous paths of life. But, we have to let Him give us agile feet and we have to allow
Him to be our refuge, to be our strength and security. We have to be willing to let him cover us with
His wings and hold us under his warm feathers, where our body, soul, and spirit can receive comfort and revival.
I have to confess that the reason this Morning Manna is not as timely as most is because I had a minor meltdown yesterday.
Things kept crowding in on my time. Things that seemed useless to me. Things that seemed that they were being
more complicated than they should. I am a person who likes to get an idea and run with it until I see that I
have done all I can do. Hopefully, my mindset is always to want the Lord to do all He can do through me in a writing and
studying time. However, yesterday was not that! Interruptions at every turn. I was angry, to say the least.
And, I forgot to let the Lord put a guard over my mouth! Psalm 141:3 (AMP) 3
Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. As a result, everyone
knew I was angry! Have you ever done that? I hope not; but, I have been around enough people in the world
to find that many are angry and they don't hesitate to let you know it! By the end of the day, I had made such
a mess of the day that I felt as though I could not go on. I knew I was in no shape to write or even gather up
my mind. I had let the enemy get a foothold. But, by God's grace, it will not become a stronghold!
The only thing I wanted to do was feel some feathers around me so I went to bed early and got under my fake feather comforter
and just kept calling, "Jesus," "Jesus," "Jesus." No other words would come except small
sobs of knowing I had blown it and asking for forgiveness and blessing on the people who had heard and been hit by the words
of my tirade. A whole day had seemingly
been wasted (at least in my mind). If I had been in a right frame of mind, I could have had the opportunity
to show grace and understanding to those who did not do what they said they were going to. I could have overlooked the
communication that was so lacking. Instead, I fell into the trap and I allowed it to make my day fell
apart. That's, obviously, not what I should have done. I should have allowed God to keep a guard over my
lips, showed grace and mercy, been willing to suffer discomfort for His Name's sake. I should have determined to
be a peacekeeper because I have received so much peace from my Lord Jesus. Now, I have no excuse because I know that
God is my shield and buckler. I have seen the Lord manifest Himself as a shield and buckler in my life. A buckler
is like a shield but it surrounds the person completely. I have no excuse for not knowing, and yet, I failed miserably
in my own sight, in the sight of others and, most grievously, in the sight of God! Here is the good news. We
must not let times of being, as the song says, "beat down, back down, found myself on the ground,"
keep us beat down with our back down on the ground. As humiliating as it is, we cannot give up when troubles come
and we don't pass the test. Last night, I said, "I can't write anymore. I don't have a testimony.
I can't even pass the tests!" But, that was the devil speaking. God says, "You blew it, you're right."
But, God also says, "Get up." And, He reaches the helping hand of forgiveness and love to help me
get back on my feet again. He reminds me that I'm His child. He brings to my remembrance that
I'm blessed, chosen, adopted, forgiven, favored, redeemed and sealed. Not one circumstance of life can change that!
If you are in a place this morning where you know that you have blown it in some way, and you feel that you really
are not of much use any more, remember that God is your Father. When His children fall down and get dirty or scrape
their knees and find themselves in a billow of tears feeling like a total failure, He comes running when they call His Name
- that mighty name of Jesus. He picks them up, binds up their wounds, forgives them, fixes their broken feet,
tells them He loves them with an everlasting love and sends them on their way again. I am not saying that we will
not limp for a while the wound from the fall is healing. I'm only saying that we cannot let the devil have his
way in our lives when we serve a God who loves us unconditionally. A God who shelters us under His wings. A
God who is a shield and buckler. A God who totally surrounds us with His protection and care. A, "never-give-up,"
God who tells his children and helps them to be, "never-give-up," children! May you be blessed
this morning knowing that God has given you all you need to live a godly and loving life, But, if (and when) you
fail, you can also know that God has already forgiven you and He will help you up so you can continue to live for Him. Proverbs 24:16 (KJV) 16 For
a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. As
a child of God, what is your secret weapon when you fall? Repent and get up! As the song says, "Walk
on, walk on (and I changed the words to 'with Jesus' in your heart) and you'll never walk alone!"
After God has picked you up and set you on course again, there is another old song that means so much. It
just says, "Leaning on Jesus." The closer we stay to Him and the more strength we will receive
from Him, the less chance we will have of falling again! Above all, remember, you're covered by Almighty God! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 ENTHUSIASM, PATIENCE AND HOPE Romans 12:11-12 (KJV) 11 Not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; As I glanced at one of my many daily scripture calendars that I have placed around the house, I was
struck by Romans 12:11-12. So, I began to dig more into the verse. Are you tardy, insolent, and irksome in business? That's
what the word, "slothful," means. What surprised me, when checking out word meanings is that the word, "business,"
is not exactly what I thought it was! It is a Greek word that actually means, "speed." Among
other things, it implies haste, earnestness, and diligence. One translation says, "Never be lazy in your
work." This may be a watered down version of all that it would mean to be tardy, insolent, and irksome in
your diligence or your earnestness! Rather than being any of the things just discussed, we should be fervent
in spirit; serving the Lord. Are you fervent in spirit as you serve the Lord? I, for one, cannot say that my
spirit is boiling hot in serving the Lord. I don't always have zeal, especially if I'm already walking through some
trials or physical challenges. Another translation says, "...but serve the Lord enthusiastically."
Enthusiasm is a great trait and I have to admit that I'm not always the most enthusiastic person. But fervency seems
to be an even stronger word. It means, "boiling hot." Going through the list of words in this verse,
I come to the word, "serving." This word in Greek actually means to be in bondage to another. Everyone
is in bondage to either the devil or the Lord. By far, the Lord is the best Master. The devil pays some wages
but those wages are death. The Lord gives gifts that we could not earn or buy! All of His gifts are life-giving.
So, I find that I have some things to work on in life. How many times have you been tardy to work, school, or church?
Or even a recreational event? That should not be in the life of a believer. Our life transactions should be done
with earnestness and diligence. Actually, since this word means, "speed," or, "haste," we might
have to look at whether we dilly-dally about our business in life! And, for sure, we should never be found being irksome or
insolent! In Romans 12:12, the Apostle, Paul, tells us that we should rejoice in hope. One translation says, "Be glad for all God is planning
for you." What rejoicing here in Romans 12:12 means is to be calmly happy or well-off. Cheerful! When we hope for something, we usually anticipate it
with pleasure, are confident in it, and expectant. So, do we find ourselves calmly happy or well-off this morning,
anticipating something from the Lord with pleasure? Expecting His presence to fill our lives? Knowing His voice
when we hear His direction? Is our confidence such that we can remain calmly happy even before we see
that highly expected thing that we are hoping for? Yes! We should be glad for all that God is planning for us
but, as I have studied the words, it's much deeper than that! Next we come to something that is very hard for me and,
I daresay, that I might not be alone in struggling with this one. Are we patient in tribulation? When trouble
comes, does our patience fly out the window or do we dig in our heels of patience until the trials are over? What,
exactly, is tribulation? It could be an affliction, some anguish, some trouble, some persecution, or a burden. To
be patient means, to endure. Much spiritual strength is gained when we endure a trouble, leaning on Jesus (or
when we endure any of the other things listed) and come out on the other side with sweet victory! This little
section ends with the instruction to continue in prayer. Another version says, "always be prayerful."
Isn't that the key to everything? This word for prayer, in Romans 12:12 means to worship and pray earnestly. Looking at that
same word for prayer, I see the source of being able to be enthusiastically (even fervently) patient (being able to endure
the hard stuff) because my hope is in God. It is going to be possible if I take all of my care in prayer to the Lord
and leave it there! Some other passages where this same word for prayer is used are as follows. Matthew 21:22 (KJV) MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 I THANK GOD FOR YOU Philippians 1:3 (KJV) 3 I
thank my God upon every remembrance of you, I have a very dear friend that often sends me gifts for no reason at all! What a surprise to find
a package at the front door or something in the mailbox that was unexpected! In order to do that, she has to think
about me and think about me enough to put that thought to an action. What a blessing to have people in our lives that
think about us and, when led by the Spirit of God, minister to us either with material or spiritual things! One of the
gifts I received from my friend was a flowered box that looks like a treasure chest (pretty feminine for a treasure chest,
but a treasure chest, just the same). The box contained girly things like bath products and things with which
you might pamper yourself. After the box was empty, I decided to make it a real treasure chest. You see,
inside the box now resides tiny slips of paper with the names of our family, friends, acquaintances, and even people
we do not know whose prayer requests have somehow found their way into our hands. In this day of financial uncertainty
and the evil one trying to divide families and marriages, my husband and I found that we were pretty much focused on our
own needs. Now, a treasure box sits on the kitchen table and just before we eat, in a time of prayer, we
ask God to guide our hands to the slips of paper that contain the names of the people most in need of prayer at
that moment. It's amazing how seeing a given name will draw our attention off of ourselves and onto one who may
be having a whole lot more problems than we have! We have been blessed to know that some of these people have
confirmed the fact that they needed prayer at the time! We also lift the whole box of requests to the Lord.
Those names inside the box have become a treasure to us (mind you, some names are in there a lot more than once due to the
fact that, either they have expressed a need for prayer or the Holy Spirit has reminded us of them more often). This reminds me of the Apostle, Paul, who wrote many letters from prison
to those people that had come across his path in life. People for whom the Lord had given him great love and affection.
In his letter to the people at Philippi, he first blessed them with grace and peace from the Lord. The second
thing he did was to tell them that he thanked God every time he remembered them. Not only did he thank God for them,
he always prayed with joy! Remember, now, Paul was in prison. Yet, he prayed with thankfulness and
joy for those people whom God had placed in his life. The church members at Philippi had apparently been great partners
in helping Paul to spread the gospel. What is our pattern of prayer? Is it first to thank God for Jesus?
That would be a."J." Is it secondly to thank God for others in our lives? That would be an, "O."
Thirdly, do we thank God for making us His child and blessing us, personally, individually, and intimately? That would
be a, "Y," (which stands for "yourself"). What does that spell? Joy! If
our focus is primarily on God and receiving His message of love, He will freely give us that love and guide us.
Where will He guide us? To others! What will happen when we are a blessing to others? Our joy will
be complete. That's the way it was with Paul. Even though he was the one sitting in the confinement
of prison, he did not envy those who were free. He loved them, thought of them, and thanked God for them. When
was the last time you sat down and made a list of all the people that you can think of that God has brought into your life
? (You need to include those who blessed you, as well as those who seemed to bring hurt and pain into your life).
If we prayed for everyone that has ever come into our lives, we would find ourselves more than meeting the command to be
constantly in prayer! 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (KJV) 17 Pray
without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you. I
was just reminded that, in the Old Testament, the Prophet, Samuel, felt it would be a sin if he did not pray for those
around him and those in whose lives he had influence! 1 Samuel 12:23-24 (KJV) 23 Moreover as
for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right
way: 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for
consider how great things he hath done for you. Paul, of course, knew the scriptures and, thus,
he knew what a treasure people really are. Every person is a unique creation, fashioned by God, and given a certain
work to do. Paul encouraged those on the outside that, indeed, God had begun a good work in them.
Philippians 1:6 (KJV) 6 Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Paul was confident of that. He was also confident that the same God who began the work in those people
Paul loved, would bring it to completion! Paul could see the seeds of his own work sprouting among the people
of Philippi. In his quiet times, Paul must not have reflected and moaned about his own circumstances. The Word
of God tells us that, instead of focusing on his own discomfort, Paul prayed with joy. Why could Paul have
joy, in spite of his circumstances? Because his focus was on getting the gospel of Jesus out first, secondly,
on his love and prayers for others and lastly on himself (if you are placing yourself in this pattern for finding true
joy, the word would be, "yourself," instead of, "himself."). Paul knew, as we can know, that
it is God who does all the work in and through us. God is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the giver
of our joy. He is the one who never gives up on his work in us. He is the one who unceasingly thinks
of us. He is the one who wills to work in and through us His own good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (KJV) 13 For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. You might not have a "treasure
box," filled with the names of those God has brought into, and through, you life like I do, but you do have the
Holy Spirit if you are believer. He will help you to find joy by bringing to remembrance those people who have
stepped in and out of your life, as well as those who are still in your life. As we remember people, even if we
find ourselves in some dire straits, will we find the joy that Paul found when he gave thanks at every remembrance?
I don't know about you, but if I started giving thanks for everyone God has ever brought into my life, I would be leading
a life of constant thanksgiving. Of course, the obvious thing that follows thanksgiving is joy! I wish you joy
on this journey of life! And, I thank God for you! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 12, 2010 WHAT TO DO IN THE WILDERNESS Luke 4:1-13 (KJV) And Jesus being full of the
Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being
forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. What do you do when you find yourself in a wilderness season? Jesus showed us exactly
what to do! We can also see, from Jesus's experience, that the enemy will try to come after us in the wilderness because
he knows that God is present and speaking to us there! Jesus fasted when the Spirit led Him into the wilderness.
It was after a great mountain-top experience for Jesus. He had just submitted to being baptized by John the Baptist
and He had heard His Father speak clearly, letting Him and those around Him, know that He was His Father's beloved Son;
and, that His Father was truly pleased with Him. Now the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness where we know that
He fasted for forty days! You can imagine how hungry He was after that! The fact that the Spirit led Jesus into
the wilderness gives me a clue as to why we go through some wilderness experiences in our lives. Seasons of testing
and squeezing and discomfort. These things may feel bad but God knows just how to mold us into the vessel
He made us to be. Sometimes it takes the heat of trials and troubles to strengthen and purify us. God knows
that this world is a world full of trouble. He wants His children to be strong and ready for battle at all times.
So, sometimes we, like Jesus, find ourselves in a wilderness experience where we will be strengthened and find growth. It
might be immediately after a wonderful experience with God where you see Him do a mighty work in, and or, through you that
you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a wilderness! That's what we see in the life of Jesus. Now Jesus is weak and hungry in the wilderness after forty days of fasting and, most likely, if we look
at the character of Jesus, He was also communing with His Father. Enter the evil one! Luke 4:3 (KJV) 3 And
the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. Satan is always looking for a very vulnerable time in our lives to enter in to do his dirty work. Luke 4:4 (KJV) 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written,
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. That's how important it is that we
have the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, in our possession at all times. While it is true, it's good to
have a Bible around, there's not always time to grab a Bible to look up a verse to fight the devil. He shows up
quickly, just like a master terrorist. So, the Word must be hidden in our heart. Jesus did not have
a Bible or the Old Testament scrolls in the wilderness. He was fully the Word. He also wants you and me to be
fully filled with Him so that the Word is a part of our normal response to anything from the devil. Jesus was hungry.
The enemy tried to use a physical discomfort to get Him to turn a stone into a piece of bread for Himself. He
could have done it if He had succumbed to His physical discomfort. He would have done it if He wasn't fully aware of
who He was. But, He didn't do it. He resisted temptation by knowing who He was; and knowing that who He
was, was enough. He was the Bread of Life. He didn't need to go around turning stones into bread to prove anything.
If you're a child of God, you don't have to prove anything either. You are who you are. You know who you are.
You're blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, favored and sealed with the Holy Spirit. The enemy will try to
get you to doubt all of these things but, like Jesus, we've got to remember who we are! The first temptation didn't work on Jesus and neither did the next two. If the devil can't get us one way,
especially when we're in a wilderness season, he'll try something else! Luke 4:5 (KJV) 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed
unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power
will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. Next, the devil tried
to tempt Jesus by offering Him power over all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. Again,
if Jesus didn't know the whole Word, he might have given in. Power is very tempting to us humans. The devil will
try to tempt us with his power but his power is only for a moment of time. We have the eternal power of Jesus
living in us. Well, Jesus remembered who He was and He knew what belonged to Him already. Satan tried to
offer Jesus something that Jesus knew was already His. Jesus knew the end of the Book. He knew that
He was the winner and that He already was King of Kings over all the kingdoms of the world, forever. He also
knew better than to worship a false god. Luke 4:8 (KJV) 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for
it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. It could be that
some of us have been tempted in that way. Satan will offer us something that we already have been promised by God but
it has not yet been manifested in our lives. He would love to tempt us to sell our soul and our birthright for some
instant gratification! Yet, Jesus had the right answer. Once again, He pulled out the Sword of the Spirit
and gave the devil another stab. We do have a very formidable enemy but the Word of God, used properly, will bring
him to his knees every time until He will finally be subdued under our feet! But, before his defeat, he will
pull everything from his arsenal out to try to use it against us. He will get more and more subtle with his poisonous
attacks. Luke 4:9 (KJV) 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the
temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 For it is written,
He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at
any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. A third time, the enemy regains strength and tries
to bring Jesus down. We will experience multiple attacks at times too but, if we are carrying that Sword of the Spirit,
we always have in the back of our mind, the end of the Book. If we're the chosen of God, we win! This time
the devil tries to use the Word, itself, twisting it up, to try to trip up the Word (Jesus). You just can't
trip up the Word with the Word! It's true. The devil knows the Word of God. But, he always twists it and,
if we don't know it well by having a very close personal relationship with Jesus, saying what He says, we could
be tripped up by this one. Jesus, of course, was not tripped up and He didn't stub his toe on one of those stones
the devil was throwing in His pathway! Luke 4:12 (KJV) 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. The devil could not get Jesus to use the power of the Holy Spirit in a
wrong way, at a wrong time! Jesus knew who He was and He couldn't be tempted. He knew the whole word of
God and knew how and when to use it! The enemy was foiled again by a lonely, hungry, weak man out in the wilderness.
His Name was Jesus. He went through a wilderness experience Himself partly to show us how to go through in victory. No
matter how physically weak He might have been at the time, He knew who He was. He knew the whole Word of
God. He used it as a weapon. He won the victory! So can we! "Yeah," you say!
Yes, but we can't sit back on our laurels and get a swelled head every time we have a victory. Luke 4:13 (KJV) 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from
him for a season. We need to keep on renewing our minds with the Word of God and hiding it away in our
hearts so we'll be ready for the next season of confrontation with the enemy. Satan doesn't give up easily.
He always goes away looking defeated but, in his heart, he's saying, "I'll be back." And, he will come back
when we least expect it. But, if we are immersed in the Word and the Word (Jesus) is filling us, we know that God
has got our back. What are two things we can do when we're in the wilderness. We can remember who we are - God's
chosen child. And, we must remember to always have our Sword at hand and use it skillfully! By God's grace,
we win! Jesus showed us the way in, and through, the wilderness! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 11, 2010 COULD THE WILDERNESS BE A MERCY? Jeremiah 2:1-2 (KJV) As I read what
the Lord is saying to the people of Jerusalem, His chosen people, through the prophet, Jeremiah, I am amazed at His longing
for their close relationship with Him. God was obviously grieved because He remembered a time when Jerusalem was eager
to please Him. Do you remember a time in your life when you were full of zeal for the Lord? So full, that you
might just walk up to a stranger on the street and tell them of the love of Jesus? God compares Israel to a young
bride that would love and follow her husband anywhere he went. God remembers when Israel loved Him and followed Him,
even through the barren wilderness. Somehow, Jerusalem had
lost her first love. We, too, are warned about that in the last chapter of the Bible. Jesus is talking to
the church in Ephesus. These believers (which are present in every age), worked hard and patiently endured difficult
circumstances. They did not tolerate sinful people. They checked out their preachers and teachers to be sure
they were who they said they were. They even exposed some as liars. Jesus commended them because they had patiently
suffered for Him without quitting. But, Jesus added a, "But........" Revelation 2:4-5 (NLT) 4 “But
I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Right
here, the Greek language actually says, "You have lost your first love." 5
Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent,
I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. This was not a small charge
against the people. Look at all the good they did! Is it possible to do lots of good things and look very good,
as far as deeds go, and still be displeasing to God? According to this, it is! The penalty for not repenting
in this area would be disastrous! However, Jesus did not leave them clueless as to what was displeasing and grievous
to Him. He laid it all out on the table, the good with the bad. In this case, it seems that one bad outweighed
most of the good they did! That one bad was that they didn't love Him the way they did at first. This is borne
out in scripture in the "love chapter" of our Bible (1 Corinthians 13). How easy it is to forget that natural and spiritual intelligence
are nothing without love. Paul says that, even if we could speak every language in the world, including in the
tongues of angels, that would not be good enough! We certainly could make a lot of noise. But, that's all
it would be. Noise in the ears of God. We might even be able to utter prophetic words and even words of
knowledge about what God's plans are for the future. Most people would be in awe of such a one.
But, God would not be in awe. All of our prophetic utterances and words of knowledge are worthless in the
eyes of God, if we do not have love! Today, we are in the wave of a great, "faith," movement. There
is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is good. Jesus often upbraided His disciples for their lack
of faith. He may have a few words to say to us too about our faith. But even faith cannot work without love.
Galatians 5:6 (KJV) 6 For
in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. According
to scripture, we could even give away everything we have to feed the poor and allow our body to be burned. But,
without love, none of this has any worth in the eyes of God! What a waste that would be! (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) Is the Word of the Lord speaking to us today about our first love? A love that would motivate us to follow
God through the wilderness, trusting Him to take us to the Promised Land? Have we lost that first love? Even
in a marriage, the first love is so accommodating and passionate. Somehow, with familiarity and the passing of time,
there can sometimes be a forgetting of that first love. That's the way it is many times with our love for God.
In His mercy, He may just take us back into a wilderness season where we realize once again that He is all we have and
all we need. Where our love for Him can be rekindled to be like that of our first love for Him, and even stronger!
The word, "wilderness," we found earlier, is an open field or a desert and it can also mean, "speech."
The wilderness is a great place for us to commune with God, listening to Him speak. It is not always comfortable.
It is a place of isolation. But, might it just be a mercy from God to remind us of our first love for Him
and the love He gave us for others? If you find yourself in a wilderness situation today, you might want to thank
God for it and use the season to go back to that very first, vibrant love you had for Him. It can be a time of
repentance and revival. I imagine that, when we think of it in this way, we will soon
find ourselves in the midst of a "land of plenty," season! God will be pleased and so will we! It
just could be that our wilderness experiences are a mercy from a loving Father and an opportunity for preparation
to enter the Promised Land! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 HAVEN'T I BEEN HERE BEFORE? Genesis 16:13 (NLT) 13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake
unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? In yesterday's, Morning Manna, we saw Hagar in the wilderness.
Before we leave that story, we need to see the revelation that Hagar got in her very uncomfortable position! Many
times, God cannot reveal something to us about Himself unless He can get us to a place where we are totally dependent upon
Him. I don't know if Hagar knew who God was before her wilderness experience but I do know that, when she came out
of that experience, she knew that He had met her there! Hagar gave God a name. It was a name that you and I
count on every day, if we are believers. She named Him, "a God of seeing." Just today, I was
in some traffic. A car in the lane beside me decided to come into my lane. I don't know if the driver saw me
or was just being aggressive. Anyway, I actually saw that car hit the front driver's side of my car but nothing happened!
All I could do was to say, "Thank You, Lord," when I saw that somehow that car was in front of me and there had
been no accident! Truly, I know that God sees me in every situation and circumstance. Hagar realized that in
her dire need also. Hagar saw the Lord in the wilderness and she knew that He saw her! The Lord spoke to her.
Yet, she lived!! She, not only lived, she was given knowledge by the Lord, Himself, of His future purposes! From
this encounter, I can know that God is willing to speak to the oppressed, to those in the wilderness and to anyone of any
race, nationality, or gender. Hagar was an Egyptian but God met her where she was. No matter who, or where, you
are, God will meet you there. He sees you there and He cares about what concerns you! The well near where the angel of the Lord had found Hagar in deep despair also had an interesting
name. Genesis 16:14 (KJV) 14 Wherefore the
well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. The name, "Beerlahairoi,"
means, "well of a living One, or my seer." Oh my, this brings so much to my mind. Jesus is the Living
Water. Hagar had found a place in the wilderness close to the Living Water. The Lord met her there,
just as Jesus met the Samaritan woman by a well. Both of these women were considered, "outsiders,"
by the Jewish people but God will many times operate outside the box we try to put Him in. Both of these women were
accepted in His sight. To Hagar, God revealed Himself as the, "the God who sees." To the Samaritan
woman, Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah. She was the first to hear Him say that! Do you ever feel like an
outsider? You're not outside the view of the Lord! Right where you are, right now He sees you. You may
think, "I don't look too good right now." Don't worry! No the Lord sees you. He
looks right past your situation and circumstances and sees the real you. He loves you just the way you are, mess and
all. He would like to have a conversation with you right there too, just like He did with Hagar and the Samaritan woman.
He has a revelation for you. Part of that revelation is that He wants to take the mess you might find yourself in
now, and turn it into a message! No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him or her. John 6:44 (AMP) 4 No
one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and
[then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. I imagine that Hagar and the Samaritan woman
felt a tugging in their conversations with the Lord. Both of them could have ignored Him and walked away, but
obviously the Father was drawing them and they received something from the Lord. He would use each of them to
accomplish His future plans. Where did they learn about this? In the wilderness! There is a common saying today, "Been there, done that."
Some add on the tag line, "Don't want to do it again!" Well, Hagar went back to her mistress, Sarai, just
as the Lord told her to do. She gave birth to Ishmael, who was Abram's son, just as God had told her she
would. Sarai had been barren for her whole life and deeply wanted a son. God said she would have one but it
didn't happen in her timing. So, Sarai devised a way to have that son. She gave her Egyptian handmaiden,
Hagar, to Abram to try to get the child she wanted. How many of us know that you have to wait on God's promises?
You have to sometimes wait, and wait, and wait and........... How many have ever waited and then, when a promise didn't
materialize, decided to help God out a little bit? After all, God is busy and there is that famous, (though thoroughly
unscriptural) saying is, "God helps those who help themselves." Well, very soon, another domestic dispute
came up over Hagar and Ishmael. God had already made good on His promise to Sarai (whose name was changed to Sarah).
She had given birth to Isaac, the child of promise. Now Sarah was very jealous of Hagar and Ishmael and she told Abram
(whose name was changed to Abraham) to throw them out of the house! Poor Abraham. Ishmael was his son and I'm
sure Abraham loved Ishmael. However, Abraham did, indeed, send Hagar and Ishmael away and Hagar found herself and
her child once again in the wilderness! Like Hagar, you may have been there a few times yourself.
But, as we saw yesterday, God many times sees, meets with and speaks in the wilderness. Genesis 21:14-21 (NLT) 14 So
Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders.
Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15
When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. 16 Then
she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said,
as she burst into tears. MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 IS ANYBODY IN THE WILDERNESS? Genesis 16:7 (KJV) 7 And the angel of the LORD found her by
a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. We hear a lot about, "wilderness experiences," today and perhaps you feel that you are in a, "wilderness
season." If you are not, you probably have been there and you may be able to help someone who is there today.
If you have not been in a, "wilderness season," there is a good chance that one day you will go through it.
So, just what is wilderness? The Hebrew word for, "wilderness," comes from the Hebrew word, "dabar,"
which actually means, "to speak." It is used here in the sense of driving and of pasture such as an
open field where cattle are driven. By implication it is a desert. However, the root word from which the
Hebrew is translated, "wilderness," is the word, "dawbar," which means, "to speak." Does
that change your idea about wilderness? It certainly does mine! We find that the maidservant of Sari, Abram's
wife, ran away from her mistress after being mistreated. She ended up in the wilderness because of a domestic dispute.
How many of us can relate to that? Are some of your, "wilderness experiences," due to disputes in the home? Without
going into the other aspects of this domestic dispute, let's go right to the fact that, as Hagar sat alone in the wilderness, the
angel of the Lord found her! Perhaps Hagar was wrong in running away from her mistress, even though she was mistreated. Even
if it was Hagar's own mistake and disobedience, the angel of the Lord found her! He was watching everything that went
on and He pursued her. He came to right where she was! If you are in a wilderness experience this morning, you
can know that the Lord does not play favorites. Acts 10:34 (KJV) 34 Then
Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: No matter
how many mistakes you may have made in life, God is still interested in you. He can't stop loving you because He is
love. He is always pursuing each of His creation but many times we don't see it until we find ourselves in the
wilderness! So, before you get to depressed and discouraged, the wilderness has great possibilities! That's
the very place where God is often busily at work to change our lives and bring us to the potential that He has placed in
us. I discovered today that the Hebrew word which we see
translated as, "fountain," actually means, "eye." Like the eye of a landscape. However,
it also has to do with affliction and being pleased or displeased. The angel of the Lord, which many modern scholars
say is really an appearance of Jesus, Himself, was watching a lowly handmaiden who had been mistreated. Isn't that
like God to be watching out for those who are oppressed? He found Hagar. She did not find Him! He looked
for Hagar. She had not looked for Him, that we know of. He found her afflicted and displeased by a fountain of
water. It's interesting that the Lord found Hagar twice in the wilderness. There is no guarantee that we will
not have more than one, or even many, wilderness experiences in our lives. But, remember the possibilities that come
from being in the wilderness! We are right in a place of isolation where God can speak clearly without the din of
the world distracting us. The first time Hagar was found in the wilderness, it was by a fountain of water.
Somehow, she had found a place for herself where she could drink from the fountain. Isn't this reminiscent of the Samaritan
woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus? She was living in a self-made wilderness but, by a well of water,
she found the Living Water! The Samaritan woman was also alone probably because her lose way of living made her
the subject of gossip and ridicule by the other women in the town. So, she went to the well in the heat of the day
when no one else would be there. No one but Jesus, that is! And, Jesus was more than enough! The Lord found Hagar by a fountain of water, on the road to Shur. Hagar
was depressed, alone and discouraged. She may have even been angry! The word, "Shur," comes from a
Hebrew root word, meaning, "wall." Surely, Hagar had come up against a wall. She was pregnant with
Abram's child and Abram's wife was really mistreating her. Sarai was now jealous of this very woman she had given
to her husband! Hagar was not in control of many of her circumstances. She was dependent on the good care and
mercy of her mistress, but this time, Sarai, the mistress had failed! Even those who have God's promises fail once
in a while! God is watching over all of it and He will find the oppressed and minister to that one. Maybe you
are that one today. Look up! The Lord is waiting for you to recognize Him! In this case, the Lord told Hagar
to return and be subservient to her mistress. In the wilderness, Hagar received a Word from the Lord. Genesis 16:8-9 (KJV) 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt
thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the
angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. It
wasn't an easy Word. Hagar was told by the Lord to go back and submit to Sarai. This would not be
easy. Many times God will give us a hard Word because we are essential pieces in His plan for good. Hagar
got a hard word. But, she also got a promise. There in the wilderness, the Lord promised her that her son, her
seed, would multiply. Genesis 16:10-12 (KVJ) 10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly,
that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the LORD
said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath
heard thy affliction. 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against
every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. The
Lord promised Hagar that her son would become the start of a multitude of people. The Lord even gave her a name
for her son. It would be Ishmael. Ishmael is a combination of two Hebrew words, "hear," and, "God."
God heard Hagar's distress in the wilderness. He gave her a Word and a promise! Hagar, although she
was not a Jew, but an Egyptian, was found by the Lord in the wilderness in her distress. No matter what we have done
or where we have come from, God so loved the world that He sent His Son! For you and for me. All we have
to do is recognize Him! We have to receive His Words and obey them. Then, we have to cling to His promises!
There is so much to say about wilderness experiences. One thing is that not many come out of these seasons unchanged.
If we get mad at God or ignore him while we are in the wilderness, we will come out defeated and bitter. If we recognize
that God has found us in the wilderness and wants to meet us there and speak to us there, we will surely come out better.
Is anybody in the wilderness today? Will you ignore or be mad at God and come out more bitter than when you went
in; or will you recognize God, obey Him and cling to His promises and come out much better? Which one will it be? MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 THE GOD OF ALL SEASONS Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT) 1 For
everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Some seasons in life are pleasant while others are downright unpleasant and then there are seasons
of everything in between. No matter what season in which we find ourselves this morning, we can be sure
of one thing. The seasons in life change, many times daily, but the God of the seasons does not change! Malachi 3:6 (AMP) 6 For I am the Lord,
I do not change; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. What assurance the believer in Christ
has! Even though the seasons in our lives may change, God never changes! Because of that, we cannot be consumed,
although many times it feels that we will be consumed! When we feel like we are being consumed, even
that is good. God is purifying us and burning off some impurities so we can shine brighter for Him.
Some things that threaten to consume us are illness, unfulfilling relationships, wars, natural disasters, death of a loved
one, and many more. But, each of these things will probably come to each one of us in our lifetime. It will
only be for a season. And, although that season may be one of enormous grief, God will be there.
He has promised never to leave us or forsake us if we are satisfied with Him and what He has given us.
Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) 5 Let
your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee. God does not place any conditions on His presence with us except that we
be content with what we have (which includes, and is most importantly, Him).
It has been said that when you find out that you having nothing but God, then God is enough. God is always enough,
whether we're in seasons of joy or sorrow. He's enough if we're in a season of plenty or a season of want.
The Apostle, Paul, had learned to be content in every season. (Philippians 4:11-13) The writer of Ecclesiastes has
listed the seasons that may come to each of our lives. The times of our lives. Sounds almost like a soap opera
title, doesn't it? But, it's not a made-up story of high drama. It is real life and real life contains
times of challenge, as well as times of ease. It contains, "seasons." The following is the list
written by the author, who is generally considered to be Solomon, the son of King David. Solomon was a wise
man. He had asked God for wisdom and God freely gave it to him. (1 Kings 3:5-9 1 Kings 4:29) This is what he has concluded. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV) 2 A time to be born and a time
to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down
and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A
time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear
and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time
for war and a time for peace. Which one of these seasons are you in today? God is and always has been at work in this world, throughout every season.
He invites us to share in His work in the place and season in which we find ourselves. His plans are for
good for those who believe. (Romans 8:28) We need to look around and see where God is at work around us and join Him. Although His plans
for us are for good, His plans will not change to accommodate us. We need to submit to Him in every season and resist
the devil, with whom the battle rages. James 4:7-8 (KJV) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh
to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. The devil is always
looking for an opportune season to try to win a battle. It's usually in, or after, a season of difficulty. But,
it can also be after a season of great victory! Luke 4:13 (KJV) 13 And
when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Jesus experienced this
and we can expect to experience it too. The devil knows about seasons and he is always watching for an opportune season
to catch us unaware! No matter what any of the seasons listed above brings to our lives, we need
to be single-mindedly focused on what God is doing and join with Him in His endeavors. The Apostle, Paul,
could have lived a fairly carefree life. He could have continued to make tents and act religious. He
would have been readily accepted by the establishment. However, he had an encounter with God. Once we have had
a personal encounter with God, we can do nothing else but what Paul tells us to do. Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) 1 I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Seasons
in life will come and go. As they say, "This too shall pass." But, we must not let God pass by
and fail to join Him in this journey through the seasons. He will be that One that sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) 24 A man that
hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. No
matter what season you find yourself in today, you and I can know that this particular season will pass; but God's
faithfulness will never pass away. Perhaps you are in a season of difficulty. A trial of some sort. A season
of testing. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) 13 There
hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. God
is faithful to His own. He is with you in that testing. He will not allow you (or me) to stay in a season
of testing longer than is necessary to prove and develop our faith and trust in Him! Many times, it is in the testing
seasons that we get to know God more fully. That is His desire. He desires that we know Him personally.
He wants an intimate relationship with us. He wants us to know who He is and what He can do in every season.
God has a good purpose for, and in, every season. God truly is the God of all
seasons! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 PSALM 84 - A JOURNEY Psalm 84:1 (KJV) 1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! The Psalmist, in Psalm 84, starts of by declaring how loved or well-beloved, are the dwelling places of the Lord of the mighty
army. That word, "tabernacles," can mean many different places, including a shepherd's hut. How interesting
that the Lord says that He is our Shepherd. (Psalm 23:1) and that Jesus said that He is the Good Shepherd. (John 10:11) The Lord of the mighty army, the Lord of hosts, actually came down as a lamb and was revealed
first to the lowly shepherds! Perhaps you are like the Psalmist this morning. Your heart is crying out to God.
You have a need to be in the presence of the Lord because you know that is the only place you can find the refuge and the
answers you need for this life. Psalm 84:2 (KJV) No wonder the Psalmist
was looking toward God's dwelling place and longed to dwell there himself! People who dwell there are happy and prosperous
(the meaning of, "blessed"). They never cease to praise God. They are always clearly shining as they
make a show and boast in the Lord. To some on the outside, they might look foolish, even seem to rave. They are
always celebrating God! Psalm 84:4 (KJV) Blessed
are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. As the Psalmist says,
"That's something to think about for a while." The Psalmist could see this place from afar and he realized
that people who have let God be their strength and set their hearts on the road toward Home are truly happy and prosperous
(not as this world defines these things, but at peace with God and leaning on Him for this journey through life).
Psalm 84:5 (KJV) 5 Blessed is the man
whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. As the old song says, these people
are, "Walking on the King's highway." Sometimes the way gets rough when we, as believers, have to walk through
the, "Valley of Baca." (This means "valley of weeping.") Psalm 84:6 (KJV) 6 Who passing through
the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. But, even in these deep valleys,
the Shepherd goes with us, His sheep! Psalm 23:4 (KJV) 4 Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me. If you happen to be going through any kind of loss today, and you have been steadily walking on
the King's highway toward Home, but suddenly find yourself in a valley; look up! The mighty Lord of hosts, the
Good Shepherd, the God of all comfort, is by your side. When you realize that you are in His presence and He in
yours, those valleys will become a place of refreshing springs! The Living Water is there in our valleys! We
go on from strength to strength as the Shepherd feeds us, lets us refresh ourselves in His springs and then guides us further
until at last we shall reach Home! Psalm 84:7 (KJV) 7 They
go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. As we walk the journey
of life, we have the Holy Spirit with us but when we get Home, we will see God, face to face! 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) 12 For
now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. The Psalmist is on the journey
of life just like we are. How many times have you cried out, "God, please listen! Please, hear my prayer!"?
Psalm 84:8 (KJV) 8 O LORD God of
hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. After we pray, we stop and think about it, hopefully,
we believe that God has heard and we go on to praise Him and declare our intent to trust Him. We proclaim Him as our
shield! We declare that it is better to live one day in His yard than a thousand anywhere else! We let God
know that we would rather accept a lowly position near Him than live in the wealthy places wickedness! Psalm 84:9-11 (KJV) 9 Behold, O God our
shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. 10 For a day in thy courts
is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good
thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. As we find ourselves refreshed by the Shepherd,
even in the valley, and then led out again to get back on the high way, we realize that our God is good. He will
never withhold anything from us, if we are walking in His footsteps, because He loves to give good gifts to His children!
Matthew 7:11 (KJV) 11 If
ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give
good things to them that ask him? Wherever you are on that road toward Home, this morning, you can know,
if you have believed in Jesus, that the Lord of hosts is with you. The Good Shepherd is with you. Your shield
is with you. The Son is shining on you. The Lamb of God is with you. You are enveloped in God's very
presence! This is a time to praise (even if you look foolish to others who don't understand). This is a time
to rejoice in the God of our salvation who has every intent to lead us Home safely. Philippians 1:6 (KJV) 6 Being confident of
this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Of
all people, we, as believers, are most blessed because we trust in the Lord God, Almighty! Psalm 84:12 (KJV) MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 A THREE FOOT WALL? Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Do you know what an impala is? I knew it was a car, but I didn't know it was an animal. Here
is what an impala is: "The impala is one of the many
species of antelope that is found inhabiting the African wilderness.
The impala is a medium-sized antelope that is primarily found in the savannas and thicker
bush-land in the more southern parts of the African continent." - a-zanimals.com The
interesting thing about the impala is that it can jump ten feet into the air from a standing position and it can leap thirty
or more feet through the air! Wow! Wouldn't you love to be able to do that? In our sermon this morning,
preached by Lyle Benson, I heard another interesting fact about the impala. When in captivity, in a zoo, they
can be kept in their habitat place by only a three-foot wall! How can a three-foot wall keep an animal that can jump
ten feet in the air and take a flying leap of thirty feet from doing just that, and setting themselves free? Are you
ready for the answer? I was not ready for it and I have been thinking about it ever since I heard it. I even
looked it up on the Internet to see if it was really true! Here is the answer: they stay behind the three-foot
wall because they will not leap anywhere unless they can see where their feet will land! Oh my! How interesting
is it that an animal with such strength and ability can be held captive by just a little wall! And, are some believers
just like the impalas that are captive in our zoo's? The impala will not move by anything but sight! Do we,
as believers, have to have all of our, "ducks in a row," before we will take a flying leap of faith, should the
Lord ask us to do so? Or are we bound by the, "three-foot wall?" Impalas seem to live by sight and not by faith. They have built-in capabilities that they squelch
because they want to see, "for sure," where they are going to land! We, as believers, are told to live by
faith and not by sight! 2 Corinthians 5:7 (AMP) 7
For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s
relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. While
researching the Internet, I found an article written by Daniel Kim (dksounds.wordpress.com). In the article, Mr. Kim
wrote the following. I thought it was so well put that I want to share it with you. "How many of
us are like the African impala? We have incredible ability and talents that have been given to us. We have
hopes and dreams that have been formed in us since we were young. Some of us will never be liberated because we remain
trapped behind a wall because we are afraid, reluctant, or too comfortable to jump. All we have to do is jump.
Let's not forget who we are. We are liberated impalas." Of course, we know that God
has placed within us certain gifts and talents and has prepared good works for us to do! Are we really liberated, like the impala could be, if it jumped and took a flying leap over that
little three-foot wall? Or, are we held captive by a wall put up by Satan; a wall that makes us doubt that we
can move by faith instead of having to see exactly what's on the other side of the wall? The whole eleventh chapter
of the Book of Hebrews tells us of men and women who, despite the fact that they couldn't see what was up ahead,
took that flying leap. Now they are listed in what is called, "the hall of faith," in the Bible. Would
you or I end up in that chapter if more were to be added? Abel brought God a sacrifice that pleased Him,
by faith. Enoch had a testimony of faith that pleased God. Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) 6 But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him. Noah built an arc by faith, having been told to do so by God
but not possibly understanding it because he had never seen rain! Abraham was asked by God to leave his extended
family and go someplace. God did not say where He would lead. He just told Abraham to, "Go."
Abraham went, by faith. In case you think women are absent from this, "hall of faith," Sara, by
faith, conceived and delivered a child when she was ninety years old because she believed God. All of these, the
Bible says forgot their past and pressed on toward a "better country," considering themselves strangers and
pilgrims on the earth. These people and the many more you will find if you read Hebrews, Chapter 11, were people that
did not let a small thing like a three-foot wall hinder their faith. Even though Jesus had not yet
come to earth, they believed God to be faithful and they were all looking for a heavenly country. To have taken
such giant leaps of faith, they must have somehow believed, like the Apostle, Paul, Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13 I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Paul also said the following: Philippians 3:7-8 (KJV) 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship
of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection
of the dead. Neither those of faith in the Old Testament, nor Paul and the many men and women of
God in the New Testament, let a three-foot wall (or any obstacle at all) get in their way of following the Lord with
leaps of faith. They didn't know where their feet would land, exactly, but they did know that God is faithful
to those who will operate by faith. Are there any three-foot walls in your life this morning that block your
view of freedom in the Lord? You just may want to jump up in the air and take a giant leap to the other
side! Is there anything at all that can stand in the way of the faith God has given you? Certainly nothing as
small as the three-foot walls that the devil tries to put in front of us! You and I have the assurance that we, indeed,
do have hind's feet that are fully able to take those leaps of faith! 2 Samuel 22:33-34 (KJV) 33 God is my strength
and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet:
and setteth me upon my high places. Go ahead, the road has been tested before us. We can leap
over a wall! 2 Samuel 22:30 (KJV) 30 For
by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. David did it, at God's
command and by His strength, and so can we! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 THE GREAT PRETENDER Isaiah 58:2 (NLT) I am
reading a book called, "Extraordinary," by John Bevere. In this book, the author talks about people having,
"actual" imagines of themselves and, "perceived," images. The actual image is who we really are
and the perceived image is who we want people to think we are. Unfortunately, we, as believers, sometimes are operating
in our perceived image. We act the way we want people to perceive us. Such were the religious leaders of Jesus's
day. They were pretending to be religious but their hearts were cold as stone. They looked the part on the outside
and said the right words, but, like the title of the old song, sung by The Platters, they were, "The Great Pretender."
Have you ever met anyone like that? They are like chameleons. They fit into the situation and can change as
their environment changes. If we are true believers, we will be the very same at home and in our private lives as we
are in church services, small group meetings, etc. A pretender is anything but transparent. Sometimes you never
see who they really are! And, it seems like pretenders often deceive themselves. I don't really think the
Pharisees believed the perception of Jesus (which was clear and true) about their lives! Great pretenders act like they want to be near to God, but, when distractions, discomforts, and temptations
come, they fall away. Isaiah, the prophet, was sent by God to point out the truth to the Israelites.
God is so loving and so interested in us that He wants us to know the truth. The truth may not always feel good.
In fact, the truth may hurt. Learning the truth may require us to make some changes. Those changes
should be moving us more in God's direction, sincerely in His direction. In Isaiah 58:2, God is observing His chosen people. He notices that they act pious. He does
not say they are pious. In more harsh terms, He is saying that they are hypocrites. There is a very
big difference in acting a certain way and in being that way. Before any of us feel far above being
like the Israelites, we need to allow God to search our hearts. Psalm 139:23-24 (TLB) 23 Search
me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. 24 Point out anything you find in
me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. We also need to examine our own selves
to be sure we are rooted and grounded in the faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) 5 Examine
yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you
have failed the test of genuine faith. We need to remember that our hearts are deceitful and they constantly
need to be searched and examined. Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) 9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? The Israelites looked good on the outside. They did the right things, but with the wrong motives.
They went to the Temple every day. They seemed to be delighted to learn all about God. As it turns
out, this was only a ritual on their part. Again, they were acting a certain way, in order to fit into their perceived
image, but their hearts were far from that way. Jesus noticed that same thing when He walked the earth.
(Matthew 15:8) Needless to say, that is still a problem today. We hear about it all the time.
People say they don't want to be involved with the church because of all the hypocrites. Sometimes we, who are in the
church, are offended by that statement. But, perhaps we might want to get that heart check-up and find out if there
could be any truth to the allegation. For the most part, we probably look pretty good on the outside, especially when
in church. But, what does the inside look like. Do we perceive ourselves as being something different than we
really are? Jesus exposed the inside of the religious leaders of His day and it didn't look good. Matthew 23:27 (AMP) 27
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed,
which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure. The Israelites acted like a nation
that would never abandon the laws of God. But, on the inside they were abandoning them. If God did not spare
judgment on His chosen people who acted like a Godly nation but were really not, will He spare judgment on the nations that do
this today? You see, God is more interested in who we really are. We can fool people.
We can hide the real intent of our hearts from people but we can never hide it from God. He searches everything
out and He's looking for the real thing. Jeremiah 17:10 (AMP) 10
I the Lord search the mind, I try the heart, even to give to every man according to his ways, according to
the fruit of his doings. He's searching for a people that are searching for Him. Not just for what
He can do for them, but for who He is. The Israelites of that day wanted something from God but their want was more
than their worship. God saw right through it. God sees right through us too. They pretended they wanted
to be near Him when what they really wanted was what He could do for them. How do we stand in that area? It was
not a problem that existed only at that time. It has always existed. Today is a good day to let God search us.
To examine ourselves. To be sure we are not just piously pretending. God will tell us the truth if we will truthfully
seek it. He desperately wants us to know the truth so that we can have the opportunity to repent, if necessary.
And, so we can be set free! (John 8:32) God is such a good Father that He will not hold back the truth from us. The great "I AM" is looking
for people who are real "beings." He doesn't need pretenders. He's looking for those who will worship
Him in spirit and truth. (John 4:24) Which are we? Hopefully, we're not, "The Great Pretender"! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 ARE YOU SINCERE? Ephesians 6:24 (KJV) Many years ago, Elvis Presley sang a song called, "Are You Sincere." The words and music
were by Wayne Walker. The lyrics are as follows: Are you sincere when you say I love you? Are you sincere when you say you love me too? Oh and
are you really mine every day, all the time? I've gotta know which way to go. Will our love grow, are you sincere?
At the very end of the song, the words repeat, "Will our love grow, are you sincere?" Our
relationship with our Father and with the Lord Jesus, if we are believers is a love relationship. It's an intimate
relationship. I wonder if God is asking each of His children the same questions that Elvis sang out over the radio
and TV so long ago. It's an age-old question we probably all ask of those with whom we are in relationship
on this earth. We all want to know that our love is safe with another because their love back to us is sincere.
All the more, how God must greatly desire that we be sincere in our love for Him! How He must want to reveal more
of Himself to us so that our relationship with Him will grow! But, just how sincere is our love for God?
Is it sincere enough to make us want to spend quality time with Him, not only asking for what we want, but listening
to His Words of love and direction to us? Is it sincere enough to make us want to renew our minds each day with His
Word, throwing out the filth and vain intelligence of this world in favor of His supernatural ways and wisdom?
Is our love sincere enough to follow His commandments? God has longed for this sincere love for Him to come from
us from the very beginning. Deuteronomy 30:16 (AMP) 16 [If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which] I
command you today, to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His
ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land into which you go to possess.
Is our love for Him sincere enough to warrant the blessing of being able to have life, multiplication
in our lives and blessing in the land God has given us to possess? This morning, we are reading the last part of a blessing
pronounced on believers from Paul. The last words of the Book of Ephesians. Paul has already blessed us
with peace and love with faith from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul blesses us with grace.
But there is a condition. This grace is a blessing only for those who love the Lord with sincerity. Here
is Ephesians 6:24 from the Amplified Bible: Grace (God's undeserved favor) be
with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible [love]. Amen (so be it). The
reason it is written in such a way in the Amplified Bible is because the Greek word for, "sincerity," seems to
be a very strong word. It's not the sentimental, and sometimes sappy, sincerity that Elvis may have been singing about.
This sincere love that we are supposed to have for God, in order to receive the blessing of grace that Paul is giving,
is an undying love. It is an incorruptible love. The word, "sincerity," here means exactly that.
"Incorruptible." "Unending existence." "Genuineness." The usage notes for this
word, "sincerity," are tied to the resurrection body, according to Vine's Dictionary. This new body that
we will receive, if we have given our hearts and lives to Jesus, is going to last forever and there will be nothing corrupt
about it! That's the kind of love God is desiring from you and me. Look at 1 Corinthians 15:50. (KJV) 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. In other
words, insincerity cannot inherit sincerity. The kind of love Paul is talking about, with which we should love
the Lord, is the same kind of love with which God loved His own Son! The same kind of love He had when He sent His
own Son to die for our sins. The same kind of love He asks us to show to each other. It cannot be perceived
like the world speaks of love. It cannot be wishy-washy, fickle, or depend on circumstances or the actions of either
God or others. It is a love that is strong and sacrificial, without any taintedness from the world, and
totally voluntary. All of that being said, we are in line for Paul's blessing of peace only if we have that kind
of love! But, again, we cannot get it by ourselves or try hard enough to develop it. It is a gift of God. We
are not incorruptible or truly loving in our natural state. We can be made that way only if we seek God with
all of our heart and ask to be filled with His love and sincerity. We cannot possibly give anything to God or
others, including sincere love, unless we have first received it from God! Now, Paul pronounces the blessing of
grace over those who, unconditionally, sacrificially, unendingly, and without corruption, love the Lord Jesus Christ. If
you and I have received all of that from God, we can turn around and give it back to Him in a way that is pleasing
to Him. It will be strong and undying because that's what God is! So, what is this grace that Paul is pronouncing
over such as love Jesus in this way? It is a state of favor with God. It is a gift that brings along with
it, joy, pleasure, thanksgiving, and a heart that is quick to give. It is what makes us acceptable in the sight of
God. 2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT) 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy
life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show
us his grace through Christ Jesus. It is, as we have often heard, "unmerited," or, "undeserved,"
favor from God! For me, personally, the following definition, which is from the Strong's Dictionary, along with the
other definitions mentioned above, sticks in my mind and heart. It is this: "...the divine influence
upon the heart, and its reflection in life; including gratitude...." I am so well aware of my own inadequacy of
loving God and loving others. I sometimes shudder at the fact that I still have the struggle between my natural
self and my spiritual self. However, I am so encouraged when I read that God's grace includes his divine influence
on my heart! It includes the fact that He will help me reflect on life with His perspective, instead of my own!
He is at work in my heart and in the heart of everyone who is seeking Him with sincerity. Although much Biblical
directive seems hard, none of it can be done in my own strength (or in yours). The bottom line is that we must be humble
enough, as my sister told me yesterday, like little children, to come to our Father. To receive His unending, undying,
incorruptible, sacrificial, totally unselfish love. Then, and only then, can we fully receive this gift of grace with
which Paul ends his blessing. Then, and only then, can we really reflect the love of God to others. I've always
been a very poor receiver. I would much rather be the giver. Some of this is pride. I cannot give God
anything on my own. He has to have given it to me and I have to have received it. I cannot give my family, or
my friends and family in Christ anything unless I have received it of God first. Anything that I try to give,
on my own, will be corruptible and will eventually die. However, you and I can receive God's undying love for us today
and then turn around and give it back to Him, totally receiving this grace (favor, and His divine influence on our
hearts). Only after that, can we really love others. Are you ready to be a receiver today? Are you
ready to empty your heart of any ideas about love that the world has taught you and to be totally filled with God's love
that will never end? Is your heart only open to God so that you can receive all of His grace (His divine
influence in your heart)? These are the questions I am asking of myself. Maybe you want to ask those same questions
of yourself, just between you and the Lord! Is God asking, "Are you sincere?" MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 BLESSINGS OF LOVE WITH FAITH Ephesians 6:23 (NKJV) As I was preparing to write this morning's, Morning Manna, I looked
up some of the word meanings in Ephesians 6:23. Immediately, I forgot that Paul was pronouncing a blessing on the readers. And, immediately,
I felt that love is just too hard to do. I found that the word, "love," used here is the Greek word, "agape."
Instantly, I thought of it as being something hard to do and I was discouraged, knowing that I couldn't do it!
In effect, I found that I really can't do it at all; and neither can you, apart from God. I had heard in the past
that this word signifies unconditional love. That, it does. But it is even more than that! Paul is
blessing us with God, Himself! Why do I think that? Because God is love. 1 John 4:8 (KJV) 8 He
that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. According to C.S. Lewis, in his book, The
Four Loves, agape describes what he believed was the highest level of love known to humanity - a selfless love, a love
that was passionately committed to the well-being of the other. (Wikipedia) This sort of love is totally impossible apart
from God. It is the same kind of love that Jesus showed when He went to the cross to pay for our sins.
It is described by other Christian writers as unconditional and voluntary. Have you ever just determined
to love someone because you knew you were supposed to do it? It was determination but it wasn't really voluntary.
You were just following the rules for the sake of the rules. That's not what agape love is at all! Agape
love is what Paul is blessing us with here, I think. Paul is saying, "Be blessed with the presence of God
in your hearts. The presence of God includes who God is. He is love. God
doesn't make Himself love us. He can do nothing else but love us because that's who He is! When we truly and
fully allow Him to live within us, through Jesus, love will automatically pour from us back to the God of love and outward
to the others (every one of whom God loves)! The love of
God and the God of love is available to anyone who will choose Him; but we do have to choose. The word, "agape,"
is a noun which refers to God's love for mankind but it is also used as a verb in the New Testament in a very negative way.
Those who do not choose the love of God are said to love something else more than God. 2 Timothy 4:10 (NLT) So, Paul is blessing us with the God of love and the
love of God, along with faith. None of us can manufacture love and none of us can manufacture faith. Both are
gifts from God and both represent His character. He is love and He is faithful! Deuteronomy 7:9 (NLT) 9 Understand,
therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations
and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. I wonder what would
happen if we stopped trying so hard to love and stopped trying so hard to have faith and just
looked up to God and received the love with faith that Paul is blessing us with in Ephesians 6:23. God has given each of us a measure of faith. Have we received that gift? Romans 12:3 (KJV) 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according
as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Do we ever think more highly of ourselves than
we should because we are so loving or because we have so much faith? Without God giving us love and faith, we would
have none of either. We have to humble ourselves before the Lord and graciously receive these blessings of love with
faith that He offers. They are sufficient for us and we cannot add to them by our own effort. Not only must we
humble ourselves before the Lord and receive these wonderful gifts, we must then be a vessel through which they can flow
out so the world will see the love of Christ. Tertullian, a second century writer, wrote the following:
"What marks us in the eyes of our enemies is our loving kindness. 'Only look,' they say, 'look
how they love one another' " Have we fully received the blessing
given by Paul in Ephesians 6:23 so that we are marked in the eyes of our enemy, the devil, by our loving kindness? When the enemy looks at you
and me and the way we interact with one another, does he say, "Look how they love one another!" Does
the enemy also see that we have faith with that love and does he recognize that he cannot take it away because it is a gift
from God and nothing we have done on our own? Does he see that peace that passes even his understanding? (Philippians 4:7) If so, I believe that, through God and the receiving of Paul's blessing, we have defeated
the devil! The blessing of peace will guard our hearts and minds. Love with faith from God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ is a great blessing! Let's fully receive it all with thankfulness and joy. And then -
pass it along! MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 2, 2010 THE BLESSING OF PEACE Ephesians 6:23 (NLT) - 23 Peace
be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. After encouraging, uplifting, edifying, and instructing
the believers in Ephesus (and you and I), Paul leaves us all with a blessing. It's not only a blessing
that we can receive with joy and thanksgiving; it is also a blessing we can impart on others as we go through life.
If we have read his whole letter to the Ephesian believers, and taken it all to heart, we know who we are in Christ, we
know of His desire for unity among all believers without regard to race, gender, or any other divider. We also have
thorough instructions for our respective roles in life here on earth. We have all learned to live in the light
that Jesus has given us. After knowing or learning all that, and presumably putting it into practice, we are in line
for a blessing and we are prepared to be a blessing and to impart blessing! The first thing that Paul blesses us with is peace. He says, "peace be with you."
That's a hefty blessing! First of all, He is really blessing us with the presence of Jesus. Jesus
is our Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (AMP) 6 For to us a Child
is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace. Paul is also expressing the same thing
Jesus told us. John 14:27 (AMP) 27 Peace
I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your
hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit
yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] What is this peace that Paul and
Jesus are talking about? The original Greek word is a verb meaning, "to join." It means
peace in both the literal and figurative sense. By implication, it means, "prosperity." It is
to be joined together as one. It is quietness. It is rest, along with being set at one again. Right after
letting the disciples know of this peace that Jesus was leaving us, He told them that He would come back again. When
the Prince of Peace returns, what is His, will be joined together with Him. His Kingdom will be set at one again.
There will be true rest and quietness! Are we ready for Jesus to return again and set everything at one with
Him? Until then, we can have that quietness and rest inside of us. We can be at one with ourselves, others, and,
most importantly, with God because we are joined together with Jesus in a personal, loving and intimate relationship.
If you do not have that relationship, you can have it now by asking Jesus to come into your heart, by agreeing with
Him that you have sinned, and by receiving His forgiveness. That begins a new walk with you and Jesus! As you
continue to walk closely by praying, reading His Word, allowing yourself to be filled with His Spirit, and constantly
renewing your mind with the Word of God, that relationship will grow and develop. Peace! In every book of the New Testament, we find this word, except in 1 John. In Acts, it is translated "at
one again." This word for, "peace," is used in many ways, describing good relationships between people
and nations. It is used to describe friendly relationships. According to Vine's Dictionary, it describes freedom
from molestation. Also, quietness in the churches and order in the state. Maybe, most importantly, it describes
the peace, as believers, that we have in Jesus. Acts 10:34-36 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - SEPTEMBER 1, 2010 UPDATES BRING ENCOURAGEMENT Ephesians 6:21-22 (NLT) As the Apostle, Paul, finishes this letter to the Ephesians, he does so with encouragement and blessing.
With very positive words. All of this is coming from prison where Paul is being held captive simply because he will
not be quiet about Jesus! Isn't it wonderful that Paul had someone who would carry his message of encouragement and
instruction to the Ephesians? Paul had lived in Ephesus for three years. The people there loved him and were,
understandably, saddened and discouraged about his being in prison. God gave Paul a beloved brother and faithful helper
in doing the Lord's work. I am learning that, no matter what our calling, we cannot do it alone. We need faithful
friends and friends of faith. We need help and we need to be helpers of others who minister the Word of God, whether
it be pastors, teachers, worship leaders, and even individuals who are trying to walk the walk of faith. Tychicus
did what Paul could not do. It seemed a simple task, but without Tychicus, Paul's message from the Lord would have
stayed imprisoned, along with Paul! Do you have a Tychicus
in your life? One who will encourage you and help you get through life when difficulties arise? Are you a Tychicus
to someone else, helping them to get their ministry and calling from the Lord accomplished? The devil will constantly
try to stop the message of the Lord from getting out. He will try to make us discouraged about the things going on
in another's life that look damaging and hopeless. That's what the devil tried to do to the Ephesian believers.
But, Paul, wanted them to get the message that all was well. He wanted them to be able to throw off the discouragement
the enemy was trying to place on them and take on encouragement. He wanted them to remember who they were. As
I return to the very first chapter of Ephesians, I remember that Paul started out with the encouragement of just who we are,
as believers. We're blessed, We're blessed. We're chosen. We're adopted by God. We're forgiven.
We have God's favor. We're redeemed. We're sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity! Now, at the end of this
very same letter, Tychicus, Paul's faithful helper and friend, obediently carries Paul's letter back to the Ephesians for
their encouragement and edification. Tychicus was not only carrying the Book of Ephesians to the Ephesian people.
He was carrying it out of the prison, where the devil wanted it to stay, so it could be released to all those who would
be Christ-followers down through the ages. Tychicus did something for you! He did something for me too!
Do you think he knew the impact that his simple act of help would have on the whole world and for eternity? I think
probably not. I think he was just doing the next thing the Lord told him to do and trying to help out his beloved friend,
Paul. In small acts of obedience, friendship, and help, we don't know either how far reaching our actions will be.
However, when someone reaches out to help, edify, encourage and bless us, we know it and feel it immediately, as coming from
the Lord, Himself! So, Paul's love for those to whom he
ministered in Ephesus prompted him to send them encouragement. I doubt if Paul knew, either, that his letter to the
Ephesians would bring us encouragement too! Sometimes, you and I find ourselves in the, "prisons,"
of life. In circumstances we cannot control. Those around us may get discouraged because they see us struggling
or even suffering. Will we be like Paul and assure them that, "all is well?" Can we, like Paul,
learn to be content in any situation? Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 31, 2010 PRAYER REQUESTS Ephesians 6:19-20 (NLT) 19 And
pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News
is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this
message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. If you or I were an ambassador for our country
of residence, we would usually be highly honored when we went into another country. The Apostle, Paul, was preaching
for the Kingdom of God and, as such, he was God's ambassador to the whole world, as is evidenced by the fact that much of
the New Testament is filled with his writings. Paul was a mighty man of God but he was also human. He, like
us, struggled with the fact that his old nature would always fight with the new nature God had given him. Many
times, Paul found himself in prison just because he continued to talk about Jesus and His unifying and saving power.
It must have been hard for Paul to continue preaching and teaching about Jesus when others were persecuting him so badly.
Paul was an ambassador for Christ but he was not honored. Instead, he was put into prison and guarded closely.
Paul, being the writer of much of the New Testament, was probably a spiritual giant compared to some of the people to whom
he ministered. Yet, Paul's humility told him that he needed to be transparent in front of, and with, those to
whom he ministered, even asking for their prayers that God would strengthen Him to continue speaking boldly and clearly,
even when his circumstances would make most of us cringe and wither away! It is good that we ask others to pray.
It is good when many of God's children link their shields of faith together and advance as an impenetrable wall into the
territory of the enemy, taking back prisoners of the kingdom of darkness. It is very good for pastors, teachers and other Christian leaders to admit to their congregations that
they need prayer. Whether we are a very visible leader or not, people are watching all of us. They are listening
to us. Those who do not know our Savior make their decisions about Him, many times, based on what they see us doing
or hear us saying! All of us, no matter how spiritual we may be, still live in an earthly body with a fleshly nature
that wars with the spiritual nature given to us by God. For a man of God, like Paul was, to admit that he needed prayer
just to continue to speak boldly about Jesus, took humility. He was just admitting that he was human like the rest
of us. He was willing to ask those, who were probably much less spiritual than he was, for prayer and, furthermore,
he was willing to believe that God would answer their prayers on his behalf! I notice that Paul did not send out a
prayer request for his deliverance from prison and chains. He only sent out the request that he would be strengthened
right in the middle of his imprisonment and troubling circumstances. Strengthened to be bold in His declaration of
the gospel of Jesus! We hear of, and get a lot of, prayer requests today and I have to admit that mine are, many times,
for God to change my circumstances instead of changing me in the middle of my circumstances! Paul gave us a great example
of what a prayer request should look like. Yes, God is glorified when we are delivered from uncomfortable circumstances;
but He is also glorified if we are open to having our own hearts changed in the middle of the circumstances! The prayer
of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane was that of offering up a petition, but then being willing for His Father's will
to supersede His own will. Matthew 26:38-39 (KJV) 38 Then
saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. I'm
thinking that my prayer requests should maybe be changing a bit. To be more like Paul's request and the request of
Jesus. To be willing to do our Father's will instead of always wanting my own will. Rather than being delivered from circumstances, would it not be better to ask for deliverance from self-will
and those sins of the heart that are not so visibly noticeable, such as pride, greed, lust, and the like? Paul's
concern was not for his own sake, but for the sake of the Kingdom of God. He played out the roll of an ambassador
very well, seeking the welfare of His King! You and I, as believers, are also ambassadors for Christ everywhere we
go. In this age, being an ambassador for Christ will not bring us honor in many places. It may even
bring persecution. How are we doing? I know, for sure, that I could do a much better job. Paul was
sold out for the Lord and, being so, he loved what the Lord loves. People. He wanted others to be encouraged
to speak boldly like he spoke. Philippians 1:12-14 (NLT) 12 And I want
you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.
13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains
because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here
have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. I have to confess that I do
not always speak boldly for the Lord and His Kingdom. I think it is amazing that the Apostle, Paul, would be willing
to sit in chains in a prison, asking others on the outside for prayer. I think it is amazing that he did not
ask for vengeance on those who held him captive without good reason. It's amazing that Paul spoke of Jesus to the guards
and those around him! He actually had their souls in mind more than his own freedom or comfort! The Lord is
speaking to those of us who are believers in this age, through Paul. We are ambassadors of Christ.
What should be our message? 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NLT) 20 So
we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back
to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering
for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. What should be our main prayer
request? Maybe, like Paul, it should be that we declare boldly, and without fear, this very message! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 30, 2010 DID YOU SAY, "ALWAYS," AND, "ALL"? Ephesians 6:18 (KJV) Wow! The Apostle, Paul did say, "always."
And, he said, "all," three times in one verse! I guess he really means it. Moreover, I guess God really
means it, since it is a piece of His Holy Word. I think I could work on this verse for the rest of my life and still
know that I might fall short! The, "all," and the,"always," concerns prayer. In order to be
safe from the attacks of Satan and help others be safe also, Paul finishes off his discourse on the spiritual armor
that we are to wear with the admonishment to pray at all times, in every occasion. That means that the lifestyle
of a believer must be a lifestyle of prayer. For instance, when you are tempted by what another person says to you,
do you immediately revert to inward prayer instead of an outward show of defensiveness or anger? When you hear a siren,
is your mind triggered to pray for whoever is in a dangerous or difficult situation? When someone's name crosses
your mind during the day, do you just wonder what that person is doing or where they are instead of instantly taking
their name before the throne of God? You might not know what they need, but He does! My husband and
I just started a, "treasure box." It is to remind us to pray for others, as well as for our own needs.
When I think of a person or a specific need, I write it on a tiny strip of paper and put it in the box. When
we pray together at dinner time, we each take one of the slips out and concentrate on prayer for that person or need, as
well as taking the whole box before God. It is fun and God even speaks through that. We have often
picked a name or situation that was already on our hearts! During the day, when I pass by the, "treasure
box," I take a prayer slip out and pause to pray for that person or need for a moment, then place the paper
on the outside of the box so that, at the end of the day, I can see the names again. Sometimes I find that a prayer
has been answered! In our busy lives today, we might say that we don't have time
to pray always but, the truth is, we don't have a time not to pray! Just as we are left in a vulnerable
position when we don't use the armor God has given us, we are wide open to the evil one and his tricks if we are not in
constant prayer. We might even miss a time when God says to us, "Turn here," or "Do this or that." Without
constant prayer, we could end up on the wrong road doing very much different things than what God has called us to do!
And, who knows who might be needing our prayers when they are at a weak moment? So, Paul says to pray always.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV) 17 Pray without ceasing.
We might think, "I can't do that. I don't have anything else to say," or, "I can't think of
anything about which to pray." Well, Paul tells us the following immediately after telling us to
pray without ceasing: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) 18 In every thing give
thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. For sure, we can always find something for
which to be thankful and maintain an open conversation with the Lord, as we thank Him for everything. "Did
you say for everything?" I did. Even in our trials we can thank God because He is using those very things
to grow us up in Him! James 1:2-4 (NLT) 2 Dear
brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
I don't know about you, but there is rarely a time in my life when I don't need God's wisdom! There's
another way to pray! Not after the fact, but instantly during a challenging situation! James 1:5-8 (NLT) 5 If
you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty
is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such
people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty
is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Well now, that's
enough to keep me praying all the time! What about you? But, that's not all that Paul is saying in this one little verse in Ephesians 6:18. Besides the word, "always," Paul uses the word, "all," three times!
The first time, Paul says, "with all prayer and supplication." Besides prayer, the word, "prayer,"
has to do with worship and earnestness. Supplication is our requests and petitions. Considering that we are
to pray always, our worship and requests could take up every waking moment! But, that's not all. We are
to pray with all prayer and supplication, in the Spirit. In other words, we should be so filled with
the Spirit of God that we are conscious of the fact that He is in every action and conversation we have here on earth!
His Spirit will work through us to pray the right thing for the right person, the right situation, and with and for right
wisdom. While we are praying, Paul says that we should be watching with all perseverance. We should be
awake and alert. 1 Peter 5:8 (NRSV) 8 Discipline
yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.
For our own good, our good God has told us to watch and pray with perseverance. He is not willing that we
should be caught in any of the devil's snares! But, we have to be willing to watch and pray. Again,
not just for ourselves, our families and for our friends; but, also for those people whose names pass through our
minds from time to time for no apparent reason. If we are a believer, those names are placed in our minds by
the Holy Spirit for a reason. He is urging us to stand in prayer for them. So,
first we are to worship and bring all things in our lives to the Lord. Secondly, we are to pray for these things with
all perseverance. Finally, we find the third, "all." We are to pray for all the saints! Whew!
No wonder we will find ourselves praying constantly and without ceasing if we are following scriptural admonition! What
is a saint? It is simply one who has made Jesus their Savior and Lord. A set apart follower of He, who is holy. Philippians 4:21 (NLT) 21 Give
my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send
you their greetings. The word, "holy," in Philippians 4:21 is actually translated, "saint," in the King James Version. So, that's a lot of saints to be praying for my friend, saint! Paul said, "all." As we go
about our daily business, our spirits can be in constant prayer. In constant conversation with the Lord. There's
no doubt about it. We will have to discipline our hearts and minds to do this. It will take perseverance!
But, we can do everything God asks us to do in the strength of Christ! Just in case you think that I think that I
have, "made it," in this area, think again! I have not made it yet, but each time I read the Word of God
and let it read my heart, I am one step closer and so are you! So, I hope you are encouraged with me to make progress!
Are you up for persevering in the three, "all's," always? MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 29, 2010 ONE VERY EFFECTIVE SWORD WITH TWO EDGES! Ephesians 6:17 (NLT) Of the several pieces of spiritual armor that God has provided,
only one is a weapon of attack. If we don't remember that our enemy is not another person, we might
use such a Sword in a destructive manner and end up using it on someone for whom God did not mean it to be used!
With all of the armor that God has given us, we need to remember that the sword of the Spirit is to be used to
protect ourselves and fight against principalities and powers of darkness and spiritual rulers in high places. Not
on other people! The Lord loves us. What we sometimes fail to remember is that He loves everyone! God
can't help loving everyone. That's just who He is! 1 John 4:8 (NLT) 8 But anyone who
does not love does not know God, for God is love. That being said, we must remember that God did
not send His Word (who is Jesus) to condemn the world, but to save it! John 3:17 (KJV) 17 For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. All of the effective weapons that God gives us, as His children, are to be used for good and not evil. They
are for our protection from the evil one. The sword of the Spirit, is not only for our protection, but to help us protect
other people; not to cut them down by using it inappropriately. All of that being said, I am reminded that this sword that we have is the sword of the Spirit. God's
Spirit has to direct us to use His Word in a strategic way, the goal being to keep our own hearts and minds free from
sin, as well as to answer any unbelief and doubt or misinterpretation that comes at us from the outside. Now,
if we are using this weapon of attack wisely, and someone speaks error or unbelief, they might feel the sting of it's
double edge cutting, ever so closely, the error from the Truth. But, we are not to try to make that cut
in our own strength! Zechariah 4:6 (KJV) 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This
is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Nothing that we, as believers, do on this earth should be by our own might or power. Everything should
be done in, and through, the power of the Holy Spirit. Especially the wielding of this sword that God has given us
as a weapon of attack! As Matthew Henry has said, "To the Christian armed for defense in battle, the
apostle recommends only one weapon of attack; but it is enough......." As
with everything God does for His children, this sword is more than enough! We must not use it indiscriminately, and
never on people, who are the objects of God's love. It is to be used only at the Spirit's discretion and command to
fight against spiritual darkness. When used in this way, it will be way more than enough to keep us protected and
help us change the world by fighting the enemy off of those who have been deceived and captured by him! There are two Greek words used for "Word," in the New Testament.
One is, "logos," and the other is, "rhema." We have to get the whole, "logos," of God
into our hearts. Psalm 119:11 (KJV) 11 Thy word have I hid
in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Once the whole, "logos," is in
our hearts, then the Holy Spirit can work in and through us to give us a, "rhema," Word. A timely
and specific Word. A Word for use in a practical, every day situation within which we find ourselves. That
is our Sword of the Spirit! The Spirit uses the Word we have already placed within our hearts and helps us attack
those worldly and sinful thoughts that come to our mind from the enemy. He uses the Word we already have put in our
hearts to help us discern truth from distortion and let others know and be free too. Jesus used this, "rhema,"
Word when He was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Each time Jesus was tempted, He said to the devil,
"It is written...........", addressing each temptation with the proper reply from the written word of
God, which Jesus had within Himself. We will all have wilderness experiences. Jesus was weak when
He was tempted in the wilderness. He had fasted for forty days. He was hungry and He was tired. He
may even have been weakened by some sort of extreme exposure to the weather. But, but..............He taught us how
to use the Word of God as a Sword to resist the temptations of the devil, even when we are in our weakest state! Jesus
was all man when He walked this earth. He gave up His rights to use His power, as God, when He was born
as a baby in a manger. He lived and died by the power of the same Holy Spirit that you He has given to you
and me. He used the same armor that He has told us to use, including the Sword of the Spirit. When a Roman
soldier went into battle, only when he was in direct, hand-to-hand confrontation with the enemy, would
he pull out his, "short sword," for use. This particular weapon was a Roman military invention that
served them very well in battle. The name of the Roman sword was a "gladius." The length was twenty
to twenty-four inches. It was more like a dagger with two edges. It had a double function. It could be
thrust into the enemy and then it could cut from within. That's what God's Word does in our own hearts and in
the hearts of others. It cuts away error from truth. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) 12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart. It reaches to such things as motives, separating the sin from the sanctified. When
used by the Holy Spirit, it will bring conviction; but Satan also knows the Word and he will many times
try to use it to bring condemnation by twisting it every so slightly. He has his fiery darts; but you and I?
We have the Sword of the Spirit! If we have hidden the whole Word of God in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will
bring it up out of our own spirit at just the right time and we will be victorious, as God has promised, in every battle
over evil from within and from without! Satan wants to shred with his weapons of attack. On the other hand,
God wants to use that double edged Sword of the Spirit to do some spiritual surgery and restore those taken captive and wounded
by the enemy! The work of the Holy Spirit is always effective in bringing to us and helping us to use a, "rhema,"
Word to fight the enemy when he gets, "up close and personal," with us! Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 11 So shall my
word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Jesus showed us this was true in His temptation
in the wilderness. And, until Jesus comes back again, He has given us this doubly-effective Sword to use with
wisdom and great skill. Soon, He will return. What will He be carrying in His mouth? Revelation 1:16 (KJV) 16 And
he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength. He will be carrying His own Word in His own mouth! His Word will
make the final division between good and evil in this world! Let's equip ourselves with the whole Word of
God so that the Holy Spirit can bring the Sword of the Spirit into play when we get stuck in a battle with the evil one and
we are in closer confrontation than we would rather be! Let's ask our Father to help us be like Jesus and use our Sword
only on the enemy! Let's allow that same Sword to set us free and use it to help set others free too! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 28, 2010 NEVER FORGET YOUR HELMET! Ephesians 6:17 (KJV) If you are a believer, God has offered you a helmet. It's
not just any helmet. It is the helmet of salvation. As the Apostle, Paul, is describing these pieces of armor,
we have to remember that he is talking to the church. He is not talking to the people of the world (or of the darkness).
I'm so glad that God has given me a helmet of salvation! And, He's given you one too, if you have received Jesus as
your salvation-giver! I read a note on the pieces of armor in the Roman era. It said that, while we need to pick
up all of the other pieces of armor, it is indicated (from the use of armor in those days), that someone will hand us our
helmet and sword. Can you just see Jesus handing you your helmet of salvation? Can you see Him giving it to you
for the protection of your head - your mind? Why do we have to protect our minds? Because we have an enemy who
does battle in and for our minds! He tempts us with discouragement and doubt. We can get discouraged and
doubt everything from our salvation, itself, to whether God loves us and wants to meet our every need. Circumstances
can make us doubt. Perhaps you have given large and over the top tithes and offerings but you haven't yet seen the
windows of Heaven open onto your lives. Maybe you have prayed for years for your spouse or your children but have
not seen them come to Christ. They may even be, seemingly, getting farther away from Him. Your health may be
the issue. You know that the Word of God says that you were healed by the stripes of Jesus but you haven't seen your
healing manifested even though you have prayed and done everything you know to do in the natural realm. Maybe you prayed
that you would get a promotion and then someone else got it; someone who you feel was less qualified than yourself.
You may have even lost your job and find yourself in circumstances that are beyond your control. The enemy would love
to get your mind off track and even give you a good whack in the head so that you will forget to use all of the weapons
God has given you. In the early days of war, the Roman
soldier would always have his helmet at hand. Sometimes he had an armor-bearer to hand it to him if he needed it.
It's good to have friends who will remind us, when we get discouraged and tempted to doubt, that we have a helmet of salvation.
There may even be times when a friend needs to help us put it on or adjust it properly again. Jesus is the Head of
the church. The Head of each one of us, individually and corporately. He wears the ultimate helmet of salvation
as we see in Isaiah 59:17. He shows us how to wear that helmet with dignity, character, and honor. Isaiah 59:17 (NLT) 17 He put on righteousness
as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped
himself in a cloak of divine passion. Where is all the information in life processed? In our head.
Our minds are like a hard drive of a computer and most of us know that, when a hard drive crashes, you have no more access
to your information. We need to program those hard-drives with the Word of God. Like any
good software program, there will be updates to increase the effectiveness of the program. That's what we have to do
on a daily and even a, moment by moment basis. We have to renew our minds with the Word and let the Lord give
us fresh revelation and encouragement so that we will not fall prey to the enemy who wants to hack into our mind and introduce
the viruses of fear, doubt and discouragement, distraction and deception! Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2 And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Why do we need to renew
our minds and, thus, our thoughts? Because we know, from the Old Testament, that God says we will be whatever our thoughts
are! All of our thoughts are processed in our head, our mind! If the enemy can wield a good blow to our
head, his victory will almost be certain. At the very least, we will become disoriented and unable to fight the good
fight and, at worst, destroyed. The old time military helmets were a total protection for the head. Only
the eyes, nose, and mouth were exposed. The metal helmets were so heavy that they had to be lined with something soft.
Because it was so heavy and hot, the soldier only wore it when he was facing danger. But, my friends, God has given
you and me a spiritual helmet and we have to wear it at all times to protect our minds from the onslaught of the enemy.
In early Roman times there were arrows; but there were also broadswords that were used by the enemy. These were three
or four feet long with a gigantic handle. The enemy would hold it like a baseball bat over his head and bring it crashing
down straight onto the top of the skull. Having a helmet securely in place was the only way the one being attacked
could be saved from having a cleavage right through his skull! If
you are experiencing great difficulty in your life, make sure you have your helmet of salvation on straight. Make sure
you are one hundred percent protected from the fear, doubt, distraction, and deception of the enemy. If we neglect
to wear this piece of armor, we leave ourselves open to deceiving our own selves! Galatians 6:3 (KJV) 3 For if a man
think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. We've got to remember that
without our Head, which is Jesus, we are nothing and can do nothing. John 15:5 (KJV) 5 I am the vine, ye
are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
To keep our mind balanced we also have to remember what Paul spoke about himself; that is, that we
can do anything He calls us to do with His strength! Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) 13 I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. This helmet of salvation assures us of our salvation. Not just that we were
saved, but that we are being saved on a daily basis as we walk more and more in the Lord, and we have the hope of our future
salvation - that of eternal life. This, "hope," spoken of is not just an, "I hope," as the world
would think of it. It is an assurance for the obedient child of God! Wow! Why is it so important to have this
helmet on our head every day? Because Satan is going to try to introduce thoughts that are contrary to the Word
of God. We want to take captive as many of those thoughts as possible and hit the, "delete," button.
When we are filled with the Word of God, our minds are strong and healthy, producing good and positive thoughts. When
we have not placed the Word in our minds, and renewed it constantly, we are at risk, probably having let our helmet slip
a bit or even taken it off! Our minds need constant protection because there is a logical progression from thoughts
to lifestyle and destination. We all want to live a prosperous and blessed life and our God wants the abundant life
for us too. But, it is a journey and, along the way, there will be dangers. It is the way we think that
will bring victory or defeat. We don't need to see the glass half full or half empty. With God, the cup is always
overflowing; but we have to believe that by protecting and constantly renewing our mind. I am going to quote something
I read here because I believe it is true. "The way we think controls our entire life. Our
thoughts shape our actions; our actions shape our habits; our habits shape our character; and our character shapes
our destiny." - Gregory Dickow Let's take that
helmet of salvation from Jesus and put it on as a forever thing! Don't ever be caught by the enemy with your
head unprotected! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 27, 2010 DON'T MISPLACE YOUR SHIELD! Ephesians 6:16 (KJV) I cannot start writing about the shield of
faith without giving testimony to the goodness and strength of this Shield. Genesis 15:1 (AMP) 1 AFTER
THESE things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your abundant compensation,
and your reward shall be exceedingly great. Last year on September 20th, I was unaware of the huge fiery
dart that the enemy was about to throw at me. I was sitting at my computer, getting very tired. I got up to go
to bed. Suddenly, and without warning, came that missile. It was headed straight for me to destroy me from the
inside out. I did not know it at the time it was happening, but several large blood clots were clogging both of my
lungs. The pain was excruciating. The fear in being unable to breathe was more than I could handle. I
was alone in the house but I was not really alone. I could feel death taking me down and, at that moment, by the grace
of God, I lifted my hand in the air and cried out the only word I could breathe out at the moment. I just cried, "Jesus."
His presence that had been with me all along, manifested itself in my life at that moment. Suddenly I was wrapped
in arms that were out of this world. I could feel the forces of death pulling at me but His arms were stronger.
And, as if that was not enough, I saw a shield wrap around us both and, though a battle of good and evil was waging around
us, we were kept safe inside that shield! I lived. But, at the moment of the conflict, I had no doubt that
I would live either way. If I stayed on earth, I would live through the power of Christ. If the Lord had
carried me in His arms to Heaven, I knew I was in good Hands and that I would live forever! That night, I was in a physical battle; but, it was also a spiritual battle. The forces of good
and evil, of life and death, were waging war for my life. Not because I am me, but because I am God's child.
Just as God told Abraham in Genesis 15:1 , God showed me that night that He was literally my Shield. He helped me to overcome fear and He, Himself,
was and still is, my abundant compensation and my exceedingly great reward. I just had to call on Him. I had
to allow Him to be my shield. Just as He was holding on to me at that poignant moment, I was also holding on to Him
and the battle was victorious! I'm still here! I can still serve God here! The enemy threw a very large
missile and it was hot and painful like burning embers but, when I called on Jesus, my Shield, He, as the song says, "
He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call" That actually happened last year on the evening
of September 20th to an ordinary person like me in an ordinary house when it looked to the world as if no one was home.
But, Jesus never leaves us, my friends! He truly is our shield and defender! Deuteronomy 33:29 (NIV) 29 Blessed
are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your
enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places." You see, I could
take Deuteronomy 33:29 and say, "Blessed are you, O Beatrice............." Because God is my God and He has given me His own
Son to be my shield of faith. I believed before that God was my shield; but now I have seen with my own eyes that
He truly is my shield! I have felt that shield of faith surround me and seen it help me in a time when no one was
able to help me except the Lord. I have seen my enemies have to go away from the war in defeat. As we recall,
our enemies are not people. They are rulers of darkness, principalities and powers that want to destroy God's children.
So, if you are going through a difficult, or even an impossible situation right now, if you are God's child, you too can
repeat Deuteronomy 33:29 "Blessed are you, O (put your own name in here)! Who is like you, a person saved by
the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will
trample down their high places." The
Bible is full of references to shields, as I found when I went to study about the shield of faith that God, through the Apostle
Paul, tells us to take up. That means we have to pick it up and make it our own. If you have never made Jesus
Christ your own Savior and Shield, won't you do it today? You cannot, in your own strength, dodge and handle the fiery
darts that Satan is hurling today. Even if you have not chosen to serve Jesus, Satan will not hesitate to throw a
deadly dart at you. He cares nothing for the people in his kingdom of darkness. He uses them, abuses them, and
tramples them into the ground, destroying them when they are of no further usefulness! Oh! Take up your shield
of faith today, my friend! His name is Jesus. The shield is one of the moveable pieces of armor that God has
given us. We can move it into exact position when the darts start flying. In the early days, the Roman soldiers
had two kinds of shields. One was small and the other was more like a door. It was so big, it covered the whole
soldier as he went into battle. The soldier was not even visible to the enemy, only the shield was visible. Do
you see a picture of Jesus here? This may be stretching it, but Jesus said He was (and still is) the door. When
you stand behind a door, no one can get to you! John 10:9-10 (AMP) 9 I
am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and
will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). Of
course, we know that everything that Jesus says is true! In John 10:10, he tells us that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I now know that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
That's why we cannot misplace our shield of faith. We can have faith in no other than the Shield, Himself, Jesus!
No human was home at my house on September 20, 2009. My faith was tested. At the most intense moment
of the battle, I could not reach anyone but Jesus. If I had been trusting in my husband, my children, or even my neighbors
at that crucial moment when Heaven touched earth to spare my life, I would have been disappointed. I would not be
sitting here writing this today. And, even if Heaven had touched earth and taken me to be at Home there forever,
I would be victorious! Are you sensing, and even maybe being hit by, some of the fiery darts the enemy is throwing
around? Make sure that you have not placed your faith in anyone or anything else except your Shield. Your Jesus!
I am not special. What He did for me, He will do for you if you will call on Him. Pick up that Shield.
Hide behind Him! Keep marching on and He will protect you from anything your enemy can throw against you!
If you have misplaced your Shield by putting your faith in someone or something else other than Jesus, look up!
Your Shield is looking for you! He's willing to be found by you and allow you, once again, to put all of your
trust in Him! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 26, 2010 WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR FEET? Ephesians 6:15 (KJV) 15 And
your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; I'm very fond of footwear. In my younger days, I would wear shoes that looked good even in they hurt
my feet. Now, I'm interested not only in the looks of my footwear, but also in the comfort! The Apostle,
Paul, speaks of footwear as being a part of our spiritual armor. God wants to cover us completely, from
the top of our head to the soles of our feet! If we are thinking about armor, as we look at Ephesians 6:15, a look at the Roman soldier's footwear might be in order here. They wore a half boot called a caliga.
As an aside, there is an interesting story behind the name of the Roman combat boots. Ordinary soldiers wore
caliga. It was a heavy shoe that was studded with sharp nails. I just read that Germanicus put the caliga on
his small son while the two were camping among the soldiers. The boy was nicknamed, "little boots."
He went on to become the emperor, Caligula. These boots had the sharp nails hammered into the sole.
The nails served three purposes. They reinforced the caligae. They provided the soldier with better traction.
They allowed a soldier to cause damage when he kicked with them. These combat boots allowed the soldiers to advance
toward their enemy without worrying about what they might step on. A common tactic of war was for the enemy to plant
sticks with sharp points just below the surface of the ground. If a soldier did not have good footwear on, he
would step on these daggers and pierce his feet. Of course, the soldier with the pierced feet could not fight.
I'm just sitting here thinking that our enemy, the devil, is sneaky enough to plant daggers like that on the pathway
of our life. We are in a war and he would love to see our feet injured so that we could not fight back when he comes
against us. I am also thinking, ever so thankfully, that our Savior allowed His feet to be pierced so that you
and I could have our feet protected! The historian, Josephus, described the boots just as I described them above and
noted that, because of their good grip, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar had great military success. Their armies
were able, because they wore such boots, to endure long marches at high speed over very rough ground. Our own lives have some really rough terrain, don't they! No wonder God
wants us to put on our combat boots! Not only will we be able to make it to the end of the war, we will also be on
a firm foundation. These combat boots were an essential in the preparation for war. It was up to the soldier,
at that time, to put them on. It is also up to us to put on the footwear for spiritual battle that God has
given us today. The word, "shod," is a word that means to strap on your sandals. The verb used
signifies that it means to put these boots on of our own accord. I read something that said we should not need anyone
to make us put on our boots or to make us feel guilty if we don't. Our love for the Captain of our faith should
be enough to motivate us to put on these well-crafted boots. We never know when we might be called on to kick the
devil or stomp him into the ground through the power of Jesus. I am recalling a song that said, "These boots were
made for walking and that's just what they'll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you!"
You know, the devil will lay traps and plant daggers in the ground of our lives. But, the boots that God has
given us are made for stomping over all of the traps and daggers of the devil, leaving our feet intact and whole! What does it mean to have our feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace? The Greek word used for, "preparation," denotes readiness and preparation.
Within the Old Testament, it also has the meaning of a firm foundation. Psalm 89:14 (NLT) 14 Righteousness and
justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants. Have
we made the gospel our firm foundation? Are we walking worthy of it? Is our testimony that of the gospel of
peace? Even though we are at war and we may need to give the enemy a good kick once in a while, our boots also allow
us to usher in peace everywhere we set our feet! Peace is prosperity. It is oneness and unity. It
is quietness and rest. It is to be set at one again. No more fractured and broken lives. No more lives
separated from God. The gospel is the good news that brings peace. When we wear these combat boots, we will be
able to tread this long journey we call, "life," without injuring ourselves. We will be able to run long
and hard to deliver the good news of the gospel to others. To let them know that Jesus brings peace to the broken and
the wounded. To the separated and the lonely. Our feet will be bound in that good foundation. Being
a lover of footwear that is both strong and beautiful, I am taken by the following verse from scripture. Isaiah 52:7 (NLT) 7 How
beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the
news that the God of Israel reigns! Will we wear these boots that are both functional and protective
to us; the ones that will make our feet look beautiful in the eyes of those who will receive the good news that we carry
of peace and salvation? Frances Ridley Havergal wrote a hymn titled, "Take My Life And Let It Be."
Some of the words from that old hymn are words of surrender. Surrender of our feet to the service of the Lord
and the carrying of the gospel of peace. "Take my feet and let them be, swift and beautiful for thee." Is
that my prayer today? Is it yours too? The only way this can happen is if we take the boots that God has
given us for battle and run the race, rescuing the perishing along the way. What do you have on your feet? Do
you have your boots on? If you do, you sure do have beautiful feet! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 25, 2010 IS YOUR BREASTPLATE SHINING? Ephesians 6:14 (KJV) How is your stance this morning? If we are following the Lord, we will have all of our Heavenly armor
on and be standing still and firm before Him and before the evil in our time. We will be, "abiding."
Are you standing strong this morning? Are you standing in the Truth and is the Truth standing in you? Are your
loins girt about with the truth? I just looked up the word, "loins," and this means the "procreative,"
area of our lives. Is everything we create done in the power of Jesus, who is the Truth. Are our words and actions
filled with truth? This is called the, "belt of truth," in some translations and we know that it belongs
to us, given by God, Himself, to keep us in the truth of His Word and protect us from those who would try to deceive
us by falsehood and manipulation like the devil deceived Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden. We've got to choose to
put it on though, and then choose to also put on the breastplate of righteousness. The word, "breastplate,"
comes from the Greek word, "thorax." It means, "breastplate or corselet." It is a two
part piece of armor that covers from the neck to the middle on both sides of the body. It's interesting to note
that our heart is located in our thorax and this piece of armor, is to protect that area. It is so easy to get
our heart hurt by others and by disappointing situations. The enemy would just love to wound our heart but God,
being all-knowing has given us a breastplate of righteousness to protect our heart! What, exactly, is righteousness
in this case? It comes from a word that means, "innocent," and, "holy." The word, "righteousness," comes from an older word that was spelled, "rightwiseness."
As I searched to find out more about this breastplate of righteousness, I found that it is an attribute of God. God
is righteous. He is all "right-wise." Romans 3:5-8 (NLT) 5 “But,”
some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it
unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of
course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7
“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights
his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8 And some people even
slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to
be condemned. Vine's Dictionary points out that God's faithfulness and truthfulness is pretty
much the same as His righteousness. These are consistent with his character and promises. Romans 3:25-26 (NLT) 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for
sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice
shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26
for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate
his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in
Jesus. Aren't you excited to know that God has given us His character, His justice, His equity and
fairness? He has even given His own Son so that when we believe in Him, His personal righteousness will cover
our front and back from the neck to the middle. It will minister to our hearts from the inside and protect us from
our enemies on the outside! I'm thinking we ought to wear this always and keep it really shiny by staying in the Word
(which is Jesus) and knowing all that we have been given in such an effective and protective piece of armor. God's command to us is that we should love Him
with all of our heart. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (AMP) 5 And you shall love
the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might. 6
And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then]
7 You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress
them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when
you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. Our God is so loving and merciful
that He will never give us a command that He will not help us, and equip us, to carry out! This breastplate of righteousness
that God has given us protects our heart and keeps it safe inside of us so that we can then give it back to God in love.
This breastplate of righteousness will keep our hearts clean, and even free from worry, if we will wear it all the
time. It will allow us to totally focus on God and make Him the object of our love. We do not have to fear
when God's righteousness covers the core area of our body, both front and back! Plus, I was excited to find out that
we will look a lot like Jesus when we wear this very valuable breastplate. Isaiah 59:17 (AMP) 17 For [the Lord] put
on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance
for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak. Do you see a resemblance
in the way Jesus wears His armor and the way Paul tells us to wear the armor God has given us? It is our goal
to look more and more like Jesus. Romans 8:29 (NLT) 29 For God knew
his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers
and sisters. Have you ever had a friend that you admired so much that you wanted to be just like them?
Perhaps you saw the way they were dressed and tried to imitate that so you could be more like them. Well, we have a
friend that sticks closer than a brother this morning. Proverbs 18:24 (NLT) 24 There are “friends”
who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. His name is Jesus! John 15:14-15 (KJV) 14 Ye are my friends,
if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for
the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father
I have made known unto you. Sometimes we have an earthly friend that betrays us and, as the saying goes, "With
friends like that, you don't need enemies!" But, with Jesus, we can know that we will never be betrayed.
He is not out to destroy us, but to deliver and protect us. He is our breastplate of righteousness. It is only
by and through Him that we are made right with God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) 21 God
made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. So,
our saying might go something like this, "With a Friend like Jesus, I don't have to worry about my enemies." Yes,
this morning, and every morning, we are given the choice to put on that breastplate of righteousness which is Jesus, Himself.
He is the lover and protector of our heart. He has our front and our back! He, alone, will be our Friend forever.
He will never fail us nor forsake us! Is your breastplate shining? Is Jesus shining through you so that the
world can see Him and are you trusting that He is able to protect and keep your heart? MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 24, 2010 IS YOUR BELT LOOSE? Ephesians 6:14 (NLT) Do you notice that many people today are just like Pilate in his
conversation with Jesus? John 18:38 (NLT) 38 “What
is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. It's
pretty evident that those people who are of the world, today, consider truth to be relative or situational. These
people have no idea of what it means to be able to put on the belt of truth! You and I, if we are believers, should
wear the belt of truth with honor, knowing that we will not only be protecting our own hearts but we will also be spreading
the light in this dark world where truth eludes many. In 1 Kings 17:24 we find these words. 1 Kings 17:24 (NLT) 24 Then the woman
told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the LORD truly speaks through you.”
The woman was a widow of Zarephath. Elijah, through God, had just done a miracle for her. The way
she knew that he was a man of God was that the truth of the Lord was coming from his mouth! Do those around us
know that we are God's people because of the truth that wells up from within us and comes out our mouth? Or is our
belt of truth a bit loose? It is the Word of the Lord that is trustworthy and true, making us wise. Wise enough
to keep that truth fastened tight around us! Psalm 19:7-9 (NLT) 7 The
instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands
of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. 9 Reverence for the LORD
is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. What constitutes this belt of truth that God has so wonderfully crafted for us to wear? It is the
Word of the Lord! We need to study it so that our belts will stay strong and shiny! 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP) 15 Study and be eager
and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly
analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. When
we hide the word of truth in our hearts, it will give us direction along the right paths and keep us from stumbling.
It is the light that keeps us from losing our way! Psalm 119:105 (NLT) 105 Your word is
a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. One way to keep our belts tightly in place is to pray,
every day, the prayer that David prayed. Psalm 25:5 (NLT) 5 Lead me by your
truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. It's just as
important today, and perhaps even more so, that we pray that God would lead us by His truth. It is the only way that
we will be safe in this life. It is the only thing in which we can put all of our hope! David also prayed that
God's truth and love would always protect him and keep him alive. Psalm 40:11 (NKJV) 11 Do not withhold
Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. God
is not satisfied with anything less than truth. Psalm 51:6 (NIV) 6 Surely
you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Do we have our belts securely in place and do we make sure to keep them that way all the time? David illustrates that
wicked people love falsehood rather than truth. Their God-given belt is not just loose. It's completely missing.
Psalm 52:3 (NIV) 3 You
love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah The writer of Proverbs urges us to buy the truth and do not sell it. Proverbs 23:23 (NIV) 23 Buy the truth
and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. God has gone a step further in the New
Testament and given us the belt of truth, but we have to choose to put this piece of armor on and make sure it's secure,
even moment by moment, in these days of wickedness, falsehood, and deception! Even in the Old Testament, God lets
us know that He has not spoken in secret, but that He has spoken truth and righteousness to mankind. Isaiah 45:19 (AMP) 19 I have not
spoken in secret, in a corner of the land of darkness; I did not call the descendants of Jacob [to a fruitless service],
saying, Seek Me for nothing [but I promised them a just reward]. I, the Lord, speak righteousness (the truth—trustworthy,
straightforward correspondence between deeds and words); I declare things that are right. God is so focused
on truth within us that He instructed Jeremiah to search through the streets of Jerusalem in an effort to find just
one person who sought out truth. If there was even one person, God would forgive the whole city! Jeremiah 5:1 (AMP) 1 RUN TO and fro
through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and take notice! Seek in her broad squares to see if you can find a man [as
Abraham sought in Sodom], one who does justice, who seeks truth, sincerity, and faithfulness; and I will pardon [Jerusalem—for
one uncompromisingly righteous person]. It's so very important that we are wearing our belt of truth
so that all can see and be saved! Paul calls it a belt of truth. Like Pilate, we might be tempted to say,
"What is truth?" That's not the question. Pilate was looking straight into the eyes of Truth
when he asked that question. The truth is not a thing, but a person! John 14:6 (NLT) 6 Jesus
told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. In
my mind's eye, this belt of truth is very comfortable because what I am doing is allowing Jesus, The Truth, to wrap Himself
around me. On the inside, of the belt is His comfort and peace. On the outside of the belt is protection from
my enemies! Wow! I really love my Belt! I'm going to make every effort to keep it on and keep
it tightly fastened. How about you? MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 23, 2010 IT'S TIME TO RESIST! Ephesians 6:13 (NLT) It
has been established that believers in Christ are engaged in a spiritual conflict with evil. You and I are in a battle.
It is a warfare for our faith. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) 3 For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: Paul tells us to fight this fight
of faith. But, he doesn't just tell us without demonstrating it in his own life. This is evidenced by some of
his last words. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 (NLT) 6 As for me, my life has already been poured out
as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
and I have remained faithful. I have to continually check myself. I want to be able to speak Paul's
words from my heart when it's time for me to leave this earth. I'm sure that you do to! If we remain faithful
to the Lord, there is a reward. That should not be our only reason for having faith; but God is just proving, once
again, that we cannot outgive Him. We can't do anything for Him but what He will give us much more in return! 2 Timothy 4:8 (NLT) 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all
who eagerly look forward to his appearing. The battle is not just against those things all around us.
It wages within us also as we struggle to let the fruit of the Spirit win over the sinful nature in our souls. Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT) 16 So
I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives
us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other,
so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Have you ever had such a battle going on inside
you? I have, but I'm not ashamed to say it. Paul was a mighty man of God, yet he was still a
man; and he had to struggle with this war. So, we should not be surprised when we constantly find ourselves in a battle! What to do? Paul says, in the King James Version, "Wherefore."
That means that we have to do what he's going to tell us to do because of what he has just told us. What he has
told us is that we are fighting a battle, but not a battle against people. A battle against evil powers and
very high evil rulers of darkness. Thank God that Jesus has put His light into us! Since it is in us, we
stir up those forces of darkness because they have to keep striving to remain unexposed. They will fight us tooth and
nail. They will try to grind us into the ground. That's why we need to put on some armor. Not just a few
pieces, but the whole armor of God. I think Paul was really trying to get his point across because he repeated
this twice, once in Ephesians 6:11 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against
all strategies of the devil. and another time, just two verses later, in Ephesians 6:13. If we do not do as Paul says, we will not be able to withstand the evil of our day. The days
we are living in are evil because many have decided that God is dead or He never existed at all or,
worse yet, that they don't need Him. We know what God says about these people. Psalm 14:1-3 (KJV) 1 The fool hath
said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were
any that did understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are
all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. The Lord is sure of this, and
I'm sure He wants us to be sure of it too, because He repeats it in Psalm 53:1. Do these verses remind you of much that is going on in the world today? That's why we have to
resist evil. To stand fast against it by the way we speak and by the way we live. Then after having done
all (in other words, having accomplished the putting on of all of our spiritual armor and doing battle), we will remain
standing! All of our warring is done by the power of God, not by our own power. Zechariah 4:6 (NLT) 6 Then
he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says
the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. It is only because of the Spirit of the Lord that we are able to resist
and to fight. We just have to be willing soldiers. Every day, we have to put on that God-given armor, stand
against evil from the inside and on the outside and, by the power of the Spirit within us, resist all evil! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 22, 2010 WHO ARE YOU FIGHTING? Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) All we have to do is turn on
the radio or TV, or even open up our e-mail server page, and we will see the latest news. It's blatantly
obvious that there's lots of fighting going on! Gangs are fighting for their turf in city streets. Nation
is fighting against nation. Spouses are fighting in the home and then even on TV in, "Divorce Court."
Movies are laden with violence and the most graphic scenes of damage to human beings. There's no doubt about it, you
and I are in a battle. We battle with sickness and financial stress. We have relationship challenges.
There is a multitude of political problems within the workplace. And, though it should not be, we even fight
in religious institutions. Yes, people in church have been known to fight each other over what color the carpet is
and what kind of music is prominent! But wait! Though it is absolutely true, we wrestle every day, we are
not fighting any one person or any one group of people! As believers, we know that, if someone does something awful
to us, there is some other entity behind that action. Are you wrestling with something today? Are you convinced
that, if you could just get rid of that, "someone," life would be a bed of roses? Not so! There
are much higher powers at work than just flesh and blood! The devil, himself, wants to see to it that God's children
are cut down. He uses people and circumstances to try to get us in a head-lock so that we can't be effective.
His workers are principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world. There is a wickedness going on
in a higher realm than we can see with our eyes. These are the things we fight against. If we were fighting
against people, we would be fighting against the very ones that Jesus died to save! I must remember that the next
time I get my dander up about being on hold too long with an insurance company or about being caught in a grocery line
where the lady has fifty million coupons and keeps me from getting through in a timely manner, and even when those closest
to me hurt me with their words and actions! We, as believers,
must be aware that we are wrestling everyday with principalities. However, we must also walk in the faith that even
these powerful angels of darkness, these magistrates of evil, cannot separate us from the One who has called us His own
blessed, adopted, chosen, favored, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed children! I'm so glad that the Apostle, Paul,
started out the Book of Ephesians be taking careful means to tell us that we are all of the above when we have received
Jesus as our Lord and Savior! Aren't you! Paul's words, through the rest of the Book of Ephesians have been hard
words, at times. He has given us just about everything we need to know to live out the life of a follower in Christ.
Much of that will go against our human nature! That being said, if we love the Lord and are following closely to Him,
Paul also tells us this in the Book of Romans: Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) 38 For
I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, although there may be
people in this world that we are tempted to wrestle with, no person or situation - not even a principality, an evil
angel, can win the battle to take us from the love of God or the love of God from us! We also fight, or wrestle,
with powers. These are the evil powers that, for the time being, have power in this world and in those that are of
this world. But, you and I, as believers, are not of this world. So, the fight begins; and we will be in it
until we go Home to be with the Lord or until He returns for us! We are to be strong, but not in our own might or power;
for our own might and power can never stand against these principalities and powers within the invisible evil
realm that surrounds us! We have to be strong in the mighty power of the Lord. Nothing, and no one, can
withstand the power of God! (Ephesians 6:10) How sad that we live in a world of darkness! That's
because the evil one, Satan, has control of everyone and everything that is not voluntarily submitted to God. This
world's system is going bonkers right now and we do not have to wonder why! First of all, the Lord only gave Satan
a limited time to do his work here on earth. Secondly, for the most part, those who are ruling this world are leaving
God out. They are leaning to their own understanding instead of allowing God to lead and direct. Leaning
on God for our understanding and our way of life will always bring peace and success, but it's just the opposite when we
do not lean on and trust in the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-7 (AMP) 5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident
in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all
your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. 7
Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. It's
always easier to look at someone else and determine, by his or her actions, whether they are following the straight and
plain paths that the Lord will most definitely give us, if we are looking for Him. However, how about ourselves?
Do we ever lean on our own understanding? Or do we converse with God in every aspect of our daily lives, acknowledging
Him and walking where He directs, doing what He says? Have we, ourselves, turned entirely away from evil? If
you do not feel the battle in your life, you might want to make sure that you have not just given in to the principalities
and powers in high places or to the rulers of darkness in this present world! So, yes, we are in a fight. In
fact we are in the greatest battle every known to mankind. We are fighting, not against people, although the devil
would love to get us into that place. We are fighting against Satan and his power in the unseen spiritual realms.
This sounds a bit spooky and difficult. There's not doubt about it that a fight is not pleasant and it's usually difficult.
But, God has given us all the armor we need to bring defeat to these principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness!
He as also given us, if we have believed, the One who will always lead us to triumph! 2 Corinthians
2:14 (NIV) 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads
everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. Hopefully, you and I have read the end of the, "Book,"
and we know who wins! There may be a battle now but the battle, ultimately, belongs to the Lord. Still today,
we can use those words used by David, as he went against the mighty evil giant, Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:47 (NLT) 47 And everyone assembled
here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will
give you to us!” One day, all of these principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness, will
bow to the Name of Jesus. A long time ago, Moses called to the people: Exodus 32:26 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 21, 2010 THE FINAL WORD Ephesians 6:10-11 (NLT) Throughout the Book of Ephesians, Paul has told us who we are in
Christ, described the way to walk in the Holy Spirit, told us to walk in the light of the Lord, urged us to live in
unity, and given instructions for every walk and role in life. Now, he is giving the Ephesian Church, and you
and I, a final word to wrap everything up. He is motivated to tell us how to wage battle in the Spirit against the
enemy. Are there people in your life who have come against you, even hurt you and scarred you for life. They
are not your enemy! As much as it seems like they are, they are not. If you are a believer, your only enemy
is Satan and his minions. If we have human enemies, God tells us to bless them and pray for them because they, if they
have done wrong and not repented, are deceived by the devil and they are on their way to perishing without God.
If we are believers, it should be our will, in accordance with God's will, that none should perish but that all should come
to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) 9 The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. It is not God's will that any should
perish but that all should have eternal life. Jesus said that He did not come to condemn the world, but to save
it. So, Paul says we must be strong in the Lord, be
empowered by Him. As you and I go through the battles of life, very often being attacked by the devil, we can
remind one another of these words. 2 Samuel 10:12 (NLT) 12 Be courageous!
Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the LORD’s will be done.” These
words were spoken by Joab to his brother, Abishai, when they were fighting two different peoples that were opposing
God's people. My friends, the devil will look for every opportunity he can find to attack God's people, still
today. In fact, maybe even more so today, now that he sees that his days are numbered. He wants to take
as many people with him to the pit of darkness that he can. These two brothers, were at war with their enemies.
They vowed to be in one accord. If one was having trouble defeating the enemy, the other would come to help, and
vice versa. What a wonderful picture of unity that will bring victory. Like these brothers, we, as brothers
and sisters in Christ, should encourage each other to be courageous and fight bravely, knowing that the Lord's will
is going to be done, when we cooperate with Him and with each other! There is no mightier power than the power
of the Lord! And, if He is on our side, we have nothing to worry about! Romans 8:31 (KJV) 31 What shall we
then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? If you are a believer, God is for
you. If you are not a believer, God is waiting for you to meet His Son and fall in love with Him, making Him the Lord
and Savior of your life. We can be courageous because God has promised never to leave us! If we have truly fallen
in love with our Savior, we will obey His commands and He has promised that His Spirit will be in us always. John 14:15-16 (NLT) 15
“If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask
the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. That mighty power
of God that Paul is talking about is resident in us, through the Holy Spirit. Wow! Let's be strong
and courageous. We've got all of the power of Heaven backing us up! Paul also tells us how to get dressed in the morning. Maybe we don't think we needed to be told,
but the truth is, we need to be told! I often forget to dress properly and find myself in a losing battle during the
day! All through the New Testament we find the words, "put on." In Romans 13:12 Paul tells us to put on the armor of light. In Romans 13:14, he tells us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, we're told to put on incorruption. In Ephesians 4:24, we're to put on the new man. In Colossians 3:14, the suggestion is that we put on charity (love). These are just a few things found in scripture that we're told
to, "put on." I'm sure you can find many more if you search. Isn't it wonderful that God has given
us such a beautiful and varied wardrobe of clothes? In Ephesians 6:10-11, Paul is telling us to put on the full armor of God. I remember that David did not want to put Saul's armor on when
he went to fight Goliath. It was too big. It didn't fit. But, friends, the armor of God will
fit each and every one of us. It was made especially for us by the Lord, Himself! We can't just put a piece
or two on, at will. We've got to dress in the whole armor every day. If we don't we won't be able to fight against
the strategies of the enemy. The Strong's Dictionary describes the word used above, in the NLT, "strategies,"
as, "trickery." I have never liked it when someone tried to trick me. I still don't like it and I certainly
don't want to be tricked by the devil. I doubt if you do either. We've got to have all of our armor on!
Remember, that the devil is an accuser. Do you hear words in your mind that accuse you? These do not come
from God. They come from the devil. But, the devil is very tricky at getting us to believe the lies He tells
us because he uses scripture all the time to try to confuse us, rather than try to build us up in the Lord.
The devil is a slanderer. He will try to get us to believe all kinds of bad things about our brothers and sisters,
about ourselves, and yes, even about God! He will try to get us to spread those slanderous things too. The same
word for "strategies," here is used to describe people who slander others by gossiping and telling tales.
It also means, "to lie in wait." Oh my! We certainly don't want to be in cahoots with the devil!
And, we don't have to be drawn in by his lies or follow his ways. If we will be strong and courageous
in the mighty power of the Lord an put on every piece of clothing and armor that God has provided us with, we will come
out victorious every time. The Lord takes care of His children, even right down to their wardrobe and weapons! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 20, 2010 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SLAVES AND MASTERS (AND EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS) Ephesians 6:5 (NLT) 5 Slaves,
obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. As I go through the instructions Paul has given to groups of people in the Book of Ephesians,
I am seeing that all of the instructions are just based on love and on walking in the Holy Spirit in whatever role or
station we find ourselves in life. We, who live in countries where freedom is a blessing might think that the passage
in Ephesians 5:5-9 does not apply to us. But, I thank it really does. Upon searching to find out what the word, "slaves,"
actually means, I noted that the word, "servant," is used in the King James Version of the Bible. Then,
searching further, I found that the Strong's Dictionary shows that the Greek word for, "servant," is
someone who is in a subservient position to another, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Searching through the scriptures,
I found that Paul, James, and Peter had something to say about the behavior of servants toward their masters and about
the behavior of a master toward a servant. In countries where slavery is still in force, if the slave has
found Jesus as Savior, these words apply to him or her, as well as to his or her master. In free countries, most
of us work for an employer and, by accepting employment, we voluntarily, agree to be subservient to our employer.
If we are a believer, this leaves us with the responsibility of obeying company rules with respect and fear. Even
with sincerity of heart. This is just a picture of how we, as believers, obey our Heavenly Father. What
this means is that a slave or an employee will listen attentively to his or her master or employer and conform
to the commands they hear. In our world today, there's not
a whole lot of respect going on. Many times workers will give lip-service to their superior but then, when the boss
is not looking, that same worker will slack off and even do just the opposite of what their employer has asked them to do!
Ephesians 6:6 says that this should not be the case. 6 Try to please them all the
time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Whether
we are slave or free, employee or employer, if we are believers, our number one goal should be to do the will of God.
Not just because we have to, but because we want to! Just as in all the other roles that Paul discusses in Ephesians,
our submission should be done as though we were really doing it for Christ with all of our heart. If we say that we
are believers, we should always be doing what we do as though we were doing it for Jesus and as though He is right
there watching. The truth is that He is right there watching! We, whether slaves or employees, should
always work with enthusiasm. This is a far cry from a lot of what we see in the workplace today. Ephesians 6:7 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather
than for people. Now, an employee or a slave might say, "I can't work with enthusiasm and I
don't want to because my master or employer doesn't deserve it." It is very true that some people in positions
of leadership are not the best people. Some are not believers. Some are downright mean and underhanded!
But, as believers, the Word says that this is not an excuse for us to do a poor job! Watch what Peter says on that
subject: 1 Peter 2:18-21 (NLT) 18 You
who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they
are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. 19 For God is pleased
with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. Yes, it is true. Whether we are slave or employee, God sees everything
we do. Not only that, He sees our heart and our motive for doing what we do. He knows if we are just being self-serving
and buttering up to our boss for our own benefit, never thinking about his or her benefit or the benefit of the whole company
in which we work. The Lord has promised to reward each one of us for the good we do. His promises are always,
"yes and amen." Ephesians 6:8 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do,
whether we are slaves or free. Some employees or slaves may be blessed
to be working for a boss or master that is a believer in Christ. Just because they may be more gentle, and kinder
hearted, than an unbeliever does not mean that we should not work as hard for them. In fact, the Word of God says that
we should work harder for them! 1 Timothy 6:1-2 (NLT) 1 All slaves should
show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. 2
If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder
because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved. Conversely, masters and employers
have a mandate from the Word too. Ephesians 6:9 9 Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them;
remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. If you are a believer
and you are blessed with your own business or you have a supervisory position over others, you must try to remember
that both you and your employee (or slave) has the same Master who is in Heaven. He sees both of you as equal
and each of you will get a reward depending on how you carry out your duties! Do not withhold pay from your employees!
James tells us the following: James 5:4-6 (NLT) 4 For listen!
Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The
cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for
the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not
resist you. Whether slave or master, employee or employer, we must all remember the following and follow
the direction of God's Word, walking in the Spirit, in love, respect and order. Matthew 16:27 (NLT) 27 For
the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. May
we all be found doing what the Lord has directed with a pure and cheerful heart. There will be a reward! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 19, 2010 FOR ALL FATHERS (AND MOTHERS) Ephesians 6:4 (KJV) What a privilege it is to have children! If you're as blessed as I have been, you will
then have grandchildren and great-grandchildren! God tells us that children are a gift from the Lord. Psalm 127:3 (NLT) 3 Children
are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. The original word used to translate, "gift,"
in Psalm 127:3 means, "heritage." Our children are our heritage from the Lord. They are a reward or a payment
from God. As such, we have an obligation to be a wise steward of our children just like we are to be
wise stewards of everything that God gives us. When Paul speaks to fathers in Ephesians 6:4, he is also including mothers. Since the father is the head of the household, the greater responsibility and
burden falls on him but the parents, if they are following the instructions to wives and to husbands given earlier in Ephesians,
will be in unity when it comes to the raising of the children and the home will be filled with mutual respect. This
unity, in itself, will help the children feel secure and treasured. As parents, we are to be careful not to purposefully
irritate them so that they become resentful. We must not provoke them until they become exasperated. Instead,
we must raise them tenderly and patiently, training and disciplining them in the things of the Lord. Paul also speaks to the Colossian Church (and, thus,
to us) about this same subject. Colossians 3:21 (NLT) 21 Fathers,
do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. The word, "aggravate,"
in Colossians 3:21, means "stimulate to anger." As parents, our discipline should be firm and our discipline
should never be confusing. If we are not living examples of how we want our children to behave, it will only
stimulate them to anger if we try to discipline them just because they are emulating our behavior! The foremost thing
we need to teach our children is reverence for the Lord. Deuteronomy 4:9-10 (NLT) 9 “But
watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long
as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. 10 Never
forget the day when you stood before the LORD your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before
me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their
children to fear me also.’ Just as the Israelites had an encounter with the Lord at Mount Sinai,
you and I, hopefully, have had an encounter with the living Christ and received His salvation. Raising a child
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord will cause us to be very concerned that our children know the Lord, know of our
own relationship with the Lord, and find their own relationship with Him as early as possible. Parents, what
do your children think of as your first priority? Your first three priorities should be: God, spouse,
children. If following the Lord is not your first priority, it probably will not be the first priority in your child's
life either. In raising children in the nurture of the Lord,
it would seem important that we let them know that they can have a Godly confidence. Not a cocky self-confidence that
we see much of in today's world, but a knowledge that they are special. A unique creation of the Living God.
It's important that they know that their own parents are only human, and though they work very hard at being the perfect
parents, only God is perfect. This will assure the child that God sees everything, both them and their parents.
Psalm 139:1-4 (NLT) 1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and
know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know
my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when
I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, LORD. This will assure the child that God sees everything, both them and their
parents. If we do make a mistake, it's important that we respect our children enough
to admit it to them and ask for their forgiveness. This goes a long way in teaching them about their Heavenly Father's
forgiveness. Another thing we must teach our children is that our blessing will always go with them and that God's
blessing is on them too. Psalm 139:5 (NLT) 5 You go before me and
follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Letting our children know, early on, that they
are precious to us and to God is so important. Psalm 139:17-18 (NLT) 17 How
precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I
can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! Bringing
up a child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord will always take away fear and doubt, building faith and confidence
in a God who really cares about all that concerns them. The wonderful thing about all of this is that we, as parents,
are just children. God's children. So, if we imitate our Heavenly Father, our children can't help but see
Him through us in the way we love them and the way we discipline them. Isn't it wonderful that our Father never discourages
us or aggravates us purposefully? Oh, we may not think His discipline feels so good and we may fight against
it, but it is always for our good. If He didn't discipline us, we would not know that He loved us! That's the
way it will be with our own children. Hebrews 12:10-11 (NLT) 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us
for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in
his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s
painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Letting
our children do as they please may seem pleasing for the moment but God says that, if we don't discipline our children, we
are showing that we hate them. Wow! pretty strong language. Proverbs 13:24 (NLT) 24 Those
who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Our
own Heavenly Father disciplines us, as His children, for our own good, and so ought we to do with the earthly children He
has loaned to us! Hebrews 12:6-9 (NLT) 6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his
own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If
God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his
children at all. MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 18, 2010 CHILDREN OF PROMISE Ephesians 6:1-3 (AMP) 1 CHILDREN, OBEY your
parents in the Lord [as His representatives], for this is just and right. We, as believers, are God's children. How He loves His children! It is so reassuring to me that God
loves the children he loaned to me down here on earth too. As much as I love them, He loves them even more. God
is not too busy to think about children. He wants to bless them. This is evidenced by the story of Jesus
blessing the children. I guess the disciples thought that their mission was so important that children did not matter
to Jesus. But, on the contrary, Jesus rebuked them and blessed the children! Luke 18:15-17 (NLT) 15 One day some parents
brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the
parents for bothering him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the
disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like
these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the
Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” In fact, Jesus plainly said that, unless
we, as adults, receive the Kingdom of God like a child, we will never enter it! It's also interesting that Paul even
addressed the, "children," here in his letter to the Ephesians. It is evident that Paul knew that the children
could understand what he was saying. Also, I noted in one commentary, Paul elevated the children by addressing them
and he gave them dignity. This was unheard of in those times, since children were considered lesser and not of much
importance! Not only did Paul address the children, but Jesus gave all children the example they need to
see this command played out. He submitted to and honored His parents, as well as His Heavenly Father!
Consider Mary, the mother of Jesus, standing at the foot of the cross watching her Son die such a violent and tragic death.
Even in His dying moments, Jesus honored His mother. John 19:26-27 (KJV) 26 When
Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy
son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour
that disciple took her unto his own home. Jesus, right to the end, demonstrated the giving of honor
to our parents! Children are important to God.
They are the next generation of believers, if they are parented correctly. As parents of very young children, it is
our responsibility to teach them to honor us. If we fail to do that, we're asking for trouble for ourselves and
denying our children the right of God's blessing! God is so interested in blessing children that He gave
the following command in order to provide children with a rich blessing. Ephesians 6:2-3 (AMP) 2 Honor (esteem
and value as precious) your father and your mother—this is the first commandment with a promise— 3 That all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. To
honor means that children should place a high value on their parents. Parents should be treated with dignity,
considered precious, and esteemed to the highest degree. Before Jesus ushered in the age of grace, children who
did not treat their parents with respect and honor were stoned to death. Matthew 15:4 (KJV) For
God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. I venture to say that there would not be nearly as many children in the world today if the penalty for being disobedient or
dishonoring to our parents was death! That being said, parents should also respect their children, raising them up equipped
to receive God's blessing. Parents should strive to be worthy of honor from their children and teach their own children,
by example, how to show honor. Even in the parent/child relationship, we can practice submitting to one another in
love. Our children need to learn wisdom from us but they are certainly worthy of having parents that submit to them
in love by giving them the best. Not necessarily the best material things; rather, the best of our love as we
wisely do what is best for them. Several times, within scripture,
children are commanded to honor their parents. It was one of the things Jesus mentioned to the young man that asked
Him about how to obtain eternal life. Matthew 19:19 (KJV) 19 Honour thy father
and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Within the ten commandments, we find
the call for children to honor their parents. Deuteronomy 5:16 (NLT) 16 “Honor your father and mother, as the LORD your God commanded
you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. This is repeated
in Ephesians 6:2-3 Honor (esteem and value as precious) your
father and your mother—this is the first commandment with a promise— 3 That all may be well with you
and that you may live long on the earth. Since honor denotes much more than obedience, children
who are already of age, should also honor their parents by caring for them if they become unable to care for themselves.
Just today, I read about the result of adult children neglecting their responsibilities to their elderly parents in Singapore. The
parents were forced to seek financial help from charities and other agencies. It is reported that a government
official said, "We cannot legislate love." There it is again! All of the instructions that Paul is
giving for relationships in Ephesians, Chapters five and six, have their basis in love and submission one to another.
The government might not be able to legislate love; but Jesus commands it! There are no, "loopholes," to real
love. Some of the religious leaders of Jesus's time thought they had found a loophole but Jesus, as He often does
exposed the darkness, and opened up the truth. Mark 7:6-13 (NLT) 6 Jesus replied, “You
hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but
their hearts are far from me. 7 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made
ideas as commands from God.’ 8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute
your own tradition.” 9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep
God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance,
Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully
of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is
all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what
I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their
needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your
own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.” I don't think it's coincidental
that Jesus chose this example to prove to the leaders that their motives were all wrong. They just wanted to look
good within their "religious," group. They didn't love their parents. They had exchanged God's
will for their own will and they were proud of it! In essence, they had chosen for their own lives a curse (although
to the religious people they may have looked good). God's will is that all children, even grown children
would receive His blessing and His promise of a long and fruitful life. His will is that all children become children
of promise. And He has shown us exactly how we can be children of His promise. No matter what age we are, we ought
to honor our father and mother because it was God that gave them to us. Maybe your parents are not perfect.
Whose parents are perfect? It makes no difference. Our Heavenly Father is the
perfect parent and He has shown us that we need to honor Him by honoring the parents He gave us. God wants
us to highly value our parents and He has promised a blessing in return! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 17, 2010 A FEW MORE WORDS FOR HUSBANDS Ephesians 5:28-33 (NLT) Well, here we are again, on the sensitive subject of the duties of a husband. Just in case you didn't
read yesterday's, "Morning Manna," I want to repeat that the scriptures are from the Lord. As a woman
writing on this subject, I want to be careful to stay balanced and only speak to what the Lord says on this subject.
Also, before I go any farther, I want to say that I am learning, from studying the instructions regarding the responsibilities
of wives, that I have a lot of work to do. I think the responsibilities that we have to one another and and
the specific roles we play in life, provide a lifelong process for us to grow in our marriages. Speaking for myself,
there is always room for improvement! The scripture
says that husbands ought to love their wives as much as they love their own bodies. Now, how many would want to go
without food for a long period of time? My guess is that no one would willingly do that unless it was for a good cause.
People regularly eat when they are hungry. But, consider that when we marry, the two become one. Ephesians 5:31 (NLT) 31 As
the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
I heard something, just the other day, that really impacted me. I guess I always knew that, in marriage,
God sees the two as one but, in the King James Version of the Bible, it says the two shall become one flesh. The
preacher painted a word picture for me of a divorce being the "ripping apart of flesh." In the literal sense
of the word, being one flesh, means being of one accord. One mind. One passion. When a husband loves his
wife just as he loves his own body, he will be leading her by feeding her. His words will not be cutting, any
more than a mentally healthy man would make deep cuts in his own body. His actions toward her will be gentle.
In essence, he will do everything for his wife that he would do for his own body. Two people can be married and
live under the same roof, as I heard just this week in another sermon, yet not really be mates. They are
room mates, but they are not in unity in much of anything, much less toward the Lord. No wonder that God says prayers
will be hindered if a man (as the head of the household) does not treat his wife with honor. God doesn't want us to
come to him half-heartedly. He wants the whole! If the two are one, the prayers will be in unity and according
to God's will and God will hear them! Basically, in Paul's
discourse to husbands, he is painting a picture of Christ and the Church. Ephesians 5:32 (KJV) 32 This is a great
mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. He's showing us a wonderful picture of how Jesus
is the head of the body. Ephesians 1:22-23 (NLT) 22 God has put all things
under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Notice what Jesus, the head of the Body, does. He benefits the Church. He makes sure
His Body is full of Himself and healthy. Paul is showing how Jesus sacrificed Himself for the body. How
His will is for the body to be in unity. Romans 3:25 (NLT) 25 For God presented
Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding
his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, Yes,
Jesus sacrificed His own blood so that we could be washed clean of all of our sin (our spots, wrinkles and blemishes).
Jesus patiently leads, cares for, and provides for His Body. Jesus said he would never leave us, nor
forsake us. Jesus gives us peace when we're troubled. Jesus gives us the victory! He keeps us by His
side forever. What a beautiful picture Paul is painting of the Church. Jesus is all of the above and more when
it comes to seeking the welfare of His Bride (the Church). As a husband, if you are reading this, let me say that Paul
puts a, "however," in right about here in scripture. After painting a beautiful picture of Christ and the
Church, Paul says the following to each one of us, individually, be we husband or wife: Ephesians 5:33 (AMP) 33 However,
let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that
she respects and reverences her husband [hat she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems
him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. A marriage relationship
that looks like Christ and the Church is a worthy goal. Prayers will be answered and our example to our
children and to the world will be that of unity. That's exactly what Jesus prayed for! Unity! If Jesus
prayed for unity within His Body, as a husband, would it not be to your advantage, as the head, to pray for the health and
welfare of your body (which includes your wife) also? And, would it not be to your advantage to provide for and take
special care of your wife (she being a part of you), so that you could remain healthy and strong? As both
husbands and wives, would it not be good if we all would look into the scriptures and find our role in life within them,
trusting God that He is the designer and the Master Playwright in this thing we call life? What better way
to fulfill our Father's plan and purpose for our lives than to obey His Word in our lives and in our marriages and
fulfill what He says by the way we live and by the way we treat one another with love, respect, gentleness..... Oh
my, I can see a pattern here. In each of our respective roles, we can demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit.
But, it takes two becoming one to complete the task, making one whole and healthy marriage! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 16, 2010 A WORD FOR HUSBANDS Ephesians 5:25-30 (NLT) This is a word for husbands. The scripture is from the Lord. The ideas and concepts may be
biased, though, since I am a woman writing on this portion of scripture. Once again, I find that the key
to the relationship between husband and wife is all about love. It is interesting that Paul makes it fairly easy on
us women because only three verses in this particular chapter are directed toward women and their duties in the marriage
relationship. But, nine verses are dedicated to letting husbands know how they are to treat their wives. While
wives are admonished to submit to their husbands, most wives would find that pretty easy if the husband were to
be like that described in the verses in Ephesians 5:25-33! A good husband, like a good wife, will check deeply into these verses on the marriage relationship
to find out just what the Lord is asking. Upon a deep search we will find that we will have a closer relationship
with the Lord, Himself, as we seek to be more Christ-like within our marriages. Paul is speaking in these verses, in
Ephesians, about earthly marriage relationships, but he is really trying to explain the order of the Church. So, what
does Paul tell husbands right off the bat? To love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church. That's a very
sacrificial love. So sacrificial, that it intimates that a husband must be willing to give up his life for his
wife! But, there's a reason for a husband to give up his life for his wife and that is to make her holy and clean!
The King James Version says this: Ephesians 5:25-26 (KJV) 25 Husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word, Husbands, have you sanctified your wife? That is, have
you set her apart from all other women and let her know that she is precious and far above all other women in your eyes?
Just as Jesus made the church clean by His word, so husbands are to sacrificially give to their wives in order to have a
deep abiding relationship. John 15:3-4 (KJV) 3
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can
ye, except ye abide in me. In a marriage relationship, we cannot abide alone or it ceases to be a relationship.
Marriage is not just an institution. It is a living relationship such as our Savior, Jesus Christ, has with humankind,
both men and women. We are His bride. He is our Savior. He is our Head. As Christ is the
head of the church, husbands, you are the head of the marriage relationship! It might sound grand to be the head of everything but, just as I found with the passage about wives and
their responsibilities to their husbands and family, to whom much has been given, much is required. Have you noticed
that Jesus does not force Himself on anyone? He invites us to come to Him and leaves the choice to us. Jesus
is not harsh with us either. Colossians 3:19 (KJV) 19 Husbands, love your
wives, and be not bitter against them. One translation of Colossians 3:19 says, "don't be harsh." What this means, according to one commentary that a husband's
words should not make a wife become bitter. Husbands must treat their wives as the, "weaker vessel," albeit,
an "equal vessel." 1 Peter 3:7 (KJV) 7 Likewise, ye husbands,
dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. In other words, a good and wise husband
will try to understand his wife, as they dwell together. This is a process and it is ongoing throughout the marriage. Remembering
that submission is a two-way street for believers will help. We are all to submit to one another in love. That
is, we will each seek the well-being of the other first. However, being the head of the family, the husband appears
to be given the greater responsibility. Here's how the writer of, The Message, decided to paraphrase 1 Peter 3:7: 7 The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them,
delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God's grace, you're equals. Treat your
wives, then, as equals so your prayers don't run aground. What does it mean to give honor to your
wife? It means to consider her priceless, precious and very valuable and let her know that's how you see her! Both husbands and wives should remember that we are all heirs together
of God's grace! Nonetheless, the instruction to care carefully is given specifically to husbands by Paul
in 1 Peter 3:7. Paul also gives a good reason for husbands to consider their wives as equals but treat
them, as one commentary put it, as "fragile flowers." The reason is so that the husband will be granted completely
open access to the Lord in his prayers. The implication in 1 Peter 3:7 is that, if a husband chooses not to treat his wife as equal, but different and very precious and delicate,
his prayers will, by definition, be "hewn down." In essence, it seems that this says that, if a husband
cuts his wife off by treating her poorly, the Lord will cut the husband off by not hearing his prayers! Everyone
needs total access to the Lord. Jesus said to both men and women, "Without me you can do nothing." Jesus
said that we would abide in Him and He in us. That's the way it is in the relationship of the Church to Christ.
That's the way it should be in a marriage. Jesus is the Bridegroom and He has special consideration for us humans,
who are His Bride. He treats us with a graciousness and tenderness that is matchless; because we are weak. That's
the way He expects husbands to treat their own brides (wives). So, although it is a wonderful thing to be a husband
and to be the head of the wife, it also brings many, and varied, responsibilities. When it's all over and done with,
the husband is expected to have a wife that he has helped to make holy and clean because he has lead her
and provided for her just as Christ does the Church. Husband, if this seems hard to you, you're probably right.
The sacrifice that Jesus made for the Church could not have been easy either. But, consider what is yours in return
for your sacrificial love! Proverbs 31:10-12 (NLT) 10 Who
can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. 11 Her husband
can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12 She brings him good, not
harm, all the days of her life. Just this week, I heard that only one thing is more valuable than a ruby.
That is a diamond. In order to get a diamond to shine, you've got to take care of it. The more care you give
it, and the cleaner you keep it, the brighter it will shine for you! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 15, 2010 THE MAKINGS OF A NEW BEGINNING - PART THREE Titus 2:5 (KJV) It just might be that there would be fewer
people in the divorce courts and many more happy marriages if both men and women would read carefully the verses in Ephesians 5:22-33. If we are believers and readers of God's Word on a regular basis, we have probably all read these
verses. But, as I am writing on the subject, I have to say that, more and more, I am finding that I do not always
do what I have read. Studying this section at a deeper level than before, I realize that I have much to work on in
this area! As I finish sharing the eight things that women can do in their marriages to show that they love the Lord,
we come to the fourth; and that is purity. This would include the words in the King James Version found in Titus 2:5, which would be the goal of a good wife. The two words that stand out to me, regarding purity, are
"discreet," and "chaste." I just now found it interesting that the word, "discrete,"
means, "sound in mind," and "self-controlled (moderate as to opinion or passion). This is according
to the Strong's Dictionary. However, even more interesting is that it comes from the word, "sozo," which
is a word describing salvation! No wonder Peter says that women have it within themselves to win a husband
who is disobedient to the Lord with her, "discrete," way of living! 1 Peter 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 In
the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your
godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing
your pure and reverent lives. The word, "chaste," as used in the King James Version in
Titus 2:5, tells of being pure, clean, modest, and mature, among other things. Going on to number five, in our list (although we could stay with the first four because there
is so much more information we can find regarding the wording that tells women exactly how they can be good wives),
we come to number six, which is submissiveness. We saw earlier that this word has to do with rank. We are equal
with our husbands but our rank is just under the head. It has been jokingly said that the neck controls the head.
Of course if we are submissive, like any other healthy member of the human body, we will take our direction from the head.
An unhealthy, "neck" will always create chaos and hindrance, and pain, in a marriage! Number six
is the call to women to the development of gentle and quiet spirits. 1 Peter 3:3-5 (NLT) 3 Don’t
be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4
You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle
and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women
of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. Bottom
line? The goal is to be still and undisturbed, thereby becoming undisturbing. Peace is the goal. Everybody
loves some nice peace and quiet! Quickly going to number
seven is the aspect of being a good mother. Even if we don't have biological children, we have influence on the
hearts of the children in our family and among our friends. Titus 2:4 (NLT) 4 These
older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, In Titus 2:4, we once again find ourselves being taken back to the idea of love. If we have children, we are to love them.
There's nothing like the love of a mother! Her love has been known to have the strength to pick up a car if it has
rolled over her child! A good mother's love loves her child unconditionally, just as God loves the child. Even
if that child has done something atrocious, that mother will love unconditionally and let the child know it, even through
any consequences the child may have to suffer. But, the very best and most perfect way to love our children and
the children within our influence is to lead them to Jesus! Right back to where love extends salvation! Finally,
we will fly on to number eight and complete the list. This may not, at first, be a very popular idea in today's
world where women are out in the workforce in droves and competing with men. There is nothing wrong with a woman working,
but if her motive is not pure, she is not pure (one of the eight qualities of a good wife). Here goes.
Look up to the top of the page and see in Titus 2:5 where it says, "keepers at home." This does not mean that a good wife has to stay barefoot, pregnant
and in the kitchen (although I am always thankful for the quiet time I have to be barefoot at home)! What it does mean
is that we are to guard and rule over the household. In Proverbs 31, we can see that the good wife may very well work but she is balanced and keeps guard over her household. To wrap
this up (even though we have barely touched the tip of the iceberg regarding the value of a good wife), submission is not
a dirty word. Any woman who succeeds in accomplishing all of these eight things is, "number one," when
it comes to being a submissive and helpful wife. Her value is far above rubies, as it says in Proverbs 31, and the only thing more valuable than a ruby is a diamond! So, ladies, go for it! Submit to Christ and be
all that you can be as a wife. The opportunities are endless! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 14, 2010 THE MAKINGS OF A NEW BEGINNING - PART TWO Ephesians 5:22-24 (NLT) 22 For
wives, this means submit your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband
is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24
As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. When the Lord put it in my heart to go through the
whole Book of Ephesians, I wasn't thinking about the parts concerning submission. I really was excited about Chapter
One where Paul tells us about all the things that we are in Christ. I sort of forgot that, to whom much is given, much
will be required. Now that I'm into the, "hard part," (at least for me), the Lord is showing much such grace
and mercy! I pray that He will do the same for you as you read today's Morning Manna. In going through my vast
store of books, I came upon a study Bible, "The Full Life Study Bible," Some of what I want to share
this morning is taken from some notes I found there. I learned that there are eight aspects of a wife's duty to her
husband. Now, that's not to say that some may find less and some may find more. These are just what the
editor of this particular study Bible wrote. Knowing that the number, eight, is a number many times denoting a new
beginning in the Bible, I realized that we can all have marriages with new beginnings when we look at these hard verses that
the Apostle, Paul, wrote. Within them we can find the following eight things that are really characteristic
of walking in unity with each other and with the Lord, in the Spirit. Do you need a new beginning in your
marriage or do you need to start a marriage with the right beginning? Check out the following eight things that just
might be the makings of a great new beginning for you. Titus 2:4 (NLT) 4 These older
women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, Our behavior toward our
husband, and really when it comes to submitting to one another, is totally wrapped up in love. It's impossible
to have that much love for another human being unless we remember the following. 1 John 4:19 (KJV) 19 We love him, because he first loved us.
In some other translations this verse reads as follows: 1 John 4:19 (NLT) 19 We love
each other because he loved us first. Both are true. We cannot love God, or one another, if we do not
realize that God loved us, individually, and unconditionally, first. The love we share with one another
is only good so far as it is a flow of God's love through us. Human attempts at love just don't work. They are
fallible. For our number two, check out these scriptures. Respect is a part of loving another. Ephesians 5:33 (NLT) 33 So again I
say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. It's
good to be reminded here that this respect that a wife is to have for her husband is not because he is the perfect husband,
nor is it because he deserves it. The respect that a wife should show for her husband is just as if she were respecting
the Lord. Paul said that when he said that wives must submit to their husbands, "as
unto the Lord." This is proven when Peter reminds us that wives should respect their husbands
for the very reason that they might win them to the Lord, if their husbands are not following Him. 1 Peter 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 In
the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your
godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing
your pure and reverent lives. It should be obvious that a wife is not to submit to a husband
who is asking us to do something that goes against God's Word. Nevertheless, a wife who knows she is loved by God unconditionally,
will be filled with such a Christ-like love that she will be able to show that love, even in the midst of turmoil, to a
husband who is not walking in obedience to the Lord. As women, don't we love to talk? We might try our hand
at convincing our husbands with words; but the truth of God's Word is the final authority. The
Lord says, through Paul, that we might win our husbands, not only to ourselves, but, most importantly, to Christ
without any words! Women have the ability to use words like stones. Consider
the situation with the men who brought the sinful woman to Jesus. When confronted by Jesus, the accusers
all went away. Not one accuser was able to cast the first stone because of the sin in his own life. No
woman would throw one of those, "word-stones," at her husband if she considered that she, also, was not perfect.
I venture to say that no stones could be thrown because none of us, be it men or women, are perfect. However, a
wife does have the ability to live a pure and reverent life before her husband showing him respect and the
love of Christ, even if he is not yet living the life that the Lord has asked him to live. The Lord would not have
told us to do so if He wasn't going to give us the strength to do it! Well now, I can see that this topic will require at least one more Morning Manna! As for me, the
above is quite enough to think about and work on but let's just go to the third aspect of how a wife can, and should,
love and respect her husband. This is in the area of giving him the assistance he needs to get through life. Genesis 2:18-23 (NLT) 18 Then
the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
19 So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds
of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But
still there was no helper just right for him. 21 So the LORD God caused the
man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.
22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh
from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” Even
though we read the above scripture yesterday from another version of the Scripture, it's worth reading again! Adam
had everything, so to speak. He had the perfect place to live. He had dominion over all the animals. He
had all the nutritious and delicious food he wanted. But something was still missing and God gave Adam that one more
thing! It was someone just like him, but serving a different function, to help him tend to the garden and the
animals and be his helper for life. This one would be equal to him but she would serve a different purpose. This
one could love him and communicate with him. This one had the ability to understand him, if she would take the time.
To notice when he needed some help, if she would. To give that help in a loving and respectful way, all the while
keeping her eyes on her Lord and obeying Him. Eve failed. She disobeyed her Heavenly Father and she lead her
husband astray too! You and I fail many times. But, it was through a handmaiden of the Lord, a
woman, that God delivered our Savior, who offers forgiveness for our failures and shows women that God has made us
very valuable in His eyes. Not only that, we are just what our own, "Adam," has been looking for if
we will do these three things, and a few more, as though we were doing them for Jesus! Everything we do, both
men and women, should be done as unto the Lord. Don't forget to come back tomorrow to see the rest of the
ways that we, as women, can help make a new beginning in our marriages! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 13, 2010 THE MAKINGS OF A NEW BEGINNING! Ephesians 5:22 (KJV) Oh my! Where to
start? As the song says, "Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start." Genesis 2:20-23 (KJV) 20 And Adam gave
names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help
meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and
he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man. Okay, so now I know exactly where wives come from. They
come from the man! Then, they return to the man in a very special role. God realized that a man, by himself,
would not survive. The animals were not sufficient company for him and they really could not help him. He
was placed on earth to have dominion over and take care of them! So, God decided to make someone that would be
able to help Adam. That's what a good wife does. She helps her husband. In contrast a poor wife does
the following: Proverbs 14:1 (AMP) 1 EVERY WISE woman
builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands. There may be some of us
who have played the foolish woman at times in our lives and you may be struggling with that right now. If your
part has always been the wise woman, thank God for it and help the other women who may be struggling! Titus 2:3-5 (NLT) 3 Similarly,
teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they
should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women
to love their husbands and their children, Let all the women be encouraged here, lest some think that they are of less worth than a man. I heard
a preacher once say that God took a main beam out of man and made a woman out of it. I looked up the word for,
"rib," in the Strong's Dictionary and one of it's meanings has to do with architecture. It is really
a "beam." If you know anything about houses, you know that you cannot remove a main beam without seriously
damaging the strength of the house or perhaps even causing it to cave in. Women (or wives) are a very necessary
and valuable part of God's creation! Women (wives) are no different than men in the fact that all of us,
men and women, if we are believers, are equal heirs of the gift of life. Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT) 26 For you are
all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united
with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There
is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29
And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s
promise to Abraham belongs to you. So, women (wives) are not less than their husbands. God
has just given them a different role to play and it's an important role! Women are strong beams to help hold
up the household of faith. Here again, submission is "as unto the Lord." It is as if we are doing it
for Him. And, when you think about it, we really are doing it for Him. As women live out the role that God gave
them, they will find that they are not of less value than men. Equal value, different role. Here is what a woman,
strong in the Lord and faithful to Him, looks like. Proverbs 31:10 (AMP) 10 A
capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her
value is far above rubies or pearls. If we check out the meaning of virtuous, we will find that it may not
be what we think it is. It is actually a military term and a term connoting, "manliness." It means,
"a force," and, believe you me, women (wives) can be a force to reckon with! For good or for bad! A submissive woman is not a wimp! She is a humble creature but
extremely strong on the inside. If we read all of Proverbs 31 (and I encourage you to do so when you can), we will see that this virtuous woman has a lot to do and,
without all of those things being done, a man would be rather lost! I'm so excited to write about Ephesians 5:22-24, although I was thinking it was going to be a struggle. When I started studying, I became
so encouraged that I may not be able to stop at just one Morning Manna to encourage you, if you are a woman to know
that you have great value in God's eyes. And, He wants you to be of great value to your husband, if you are married.
Proverbs 31:11-12 (NLT) 11 Her
husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12 She brings him good,
not harm, all the days of her life. Can you see the Christ-likeness in this sort of a wife (woman)?
Just as Jesus came to serve humanity, so a Godly wife will serve her husband. She doesn't serve him because
he's so good. She doesn't serve him because he always deserves it. After all, he, too, is only human. But,
a good woman serves her husband and helps him get through life victoriously because she knows she is serving her Lord!
How awesome is it to know that God has chosen women to bring completion and joy to a man's life. I have heard that,
in a marriage, if the woman passes away first, the man is very likely to pass away shortly afterward. On the
contrary, it is not the same with women if the man passes away first. If you are a woman, know that God has taken one
of the best parts out of the man (Adam) and created you with that part. You can be strong as you help your husband
through life, making allowances for his weaknesses and sometimes, "filling in the gaps." God made you
that way. He did it on purpose! Why did I title this morning's Manna, "The Makings of A New Beginning"?
The reason is that the number eight, Biblically, is many times used to signify a new beginning. As I was studying,
I found eight qualities and ways of being a good wife that we can see from scripture. Whether you are having problems
in your marriage or whether you are getting along well, you can have a new beginning that will make your life so
much better. I was going to put them in this morning's, "Manna," but, as you can see, we have come to
the end of this one and it's time to stop for the morning. So, please come back tomorrow and read about those eight
things that a woman can do to be obedient to her Lord and helpfully submissive to her husband. In the meantime, go
through your day knowing that you are highly valued and God has great purpose for your life, if you are a woman.
If you are a man, know that a Godly, virtuous woman is the very best thing you can find in life! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 12, 2010 THAT DIRTY WORD, "SUBMISSION" Ephesians 5:21 (KJV) 21 Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Some of us have very independent personalities. I have to confess that I am one of those. I
do believe God's Word, though; and He uses that word, "submit," in a way that is sometimes hard for me. I
don't know if anyone can relate but, once in a while, it is very difficult to put your own wants, or even needs, aside in
submission to another. Just today, I saw this word in a different way. Before, it was something that I had to
force myself to do. That was because I was looking at it as submitting myself to another (or others) just because.
But, it's more than that! And, "submission," is not the dirty word that I thought it was before! The
Apostle, Paul, says some very hard things in his writings. To me, these next few verses on submission were some of
the toughest! Now, I realize that Paul is just continuing his discourse on how to walk in the Spirit! The evidence
of walking in the power and love of the Holy Spirit is, in part, submission! Not submission because we feel like it
or because we have to but because we want to. Why would anyone want to submit to another, to give the other
person the upper hand? That's the way I used to think about submission. Today my thinking is going in a different
direction, thanks to the Lord's grace and mercy. When we submit to one another we are doing it, not to give another
the upper hand, but to give Jesus the upper hand! It belongs to Him anyway! Vine's Dictionary says
that this word, "submitting," is primarily a military word having to do with, "rank." We know
that our God is a God of order. Does it surprise us that He wants us to discipline ourselves under the Captain of our
Faith, the One called Jesus? Earlier in the Book of
Ephesians, Paul said that God has put the church under Christ. That is, the church is in submission to Christ! Ephesians 1:22-23 (TLB) 22 And
God has put all things under his feet and made him the supreme Head of the Church— 23 which
is his body, filled with himself, the Author and Giver of everything everywhere. We, as believers, are all
under Christ. In a human body, there is nothing above the head! So, let me ask, "Which would you rather
have cut off? Your arm or your leg?" Of course, you said, "Neither!" Each member of our
human body "regards," if you will, the other members. They work together. If the hand is reaching out
for something, the wrist submits to that action and cooperates if we have a healthy body. If we have an unhealthy
body, that's a different story! That's what it's like in the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head! All the
members have to regard one another with respect and work in cooperation with one another. This may mean that one has
to submit to the other one time and it will be just the opposite at another time. Paul also wrote to the Galatians
regarding living in the Spirit. He also inferred that we have to defer to one another, or willingly give up our
rights to one another, because of Christ. It's interesting, isn't it, that if all of us, as believers, submitted to
one another, there would be no division and no strife? Can you stop to imagine how that would be? It
would be like a very healthy athlete winning the gold medal in the Olympics! The Body of Christ would be operating
at it's maximum potential! Here's what Paul says in the Book
of Galatians: Galatians 5:13-15 (NLT) 13 For you have been called
to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use
your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 11, 2010 THROW BACK YOUR HEAD AND SING! Ephesians 5:19 (KJV) The title of this morning's, "Manna,"
is from a song that I heard a long time ago. I can't even remember the name of it but it was joyful. It was
about the Lord telling us to sing! Other lyrics are, "Then He said sing!" It was right on scripturally
because the Lord, through Paul, is telling us to sing and speak with melody in our hearts and out loud to ourselves and
each other. We're supposed to do this with psalms. What is a psalm? Is it just reading from the Book of
Psalms out of the Bible? No. It's a piece of music, an example of which is a sacred ode which is accomplished
with the voice, harp or other instrument, according to Strong's Dictionary. Vine's dictionary says that a psalm is
"a striking or twitching with the fingers (on musical strings)" then, "a sacred song, sung to musical accompaniment."
Have you ever had a song go through your mind constantly? Many times, I will find myself with a commercial jingle
going through my mind or a "somebody done somebody wrong," song. That's not what the Lord wants of us.
Are we just so focused on Him that we create psalms in our hearts because of all He is and all He does? We're also to sing hymns. This is also a sort of psalm but its
meaning includes, "to celebrate." Vine's Dictionary says that this is a "song of praise addressed to
God." The Apostle, Paul, is one that would probably say, "Throw back your head and sing." He says
almost the same thing to the Colossian people that he is saying here to the Ephesians (and of course, it is all for
our hearing and admonition too). Colossians 3:16-17 (KJV) 16 Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye
do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Are
you singing yet? I wonder what would happen if everyone in the Body of Christ did this all the time. Don't
you think there would be a joyful noise in the land with people being encouraged and saved? Paul says to sing spiritual
songs too. Spiritual songs are non-carnal songs. I have noticed that I can take certain love songs that are
written as a carnal songs and sing them to the Lord. In the process, it becomes a "spiritual," song.
When we sing spiritual songs, we sing of things that are revealed by God's Spirit in a chant or an ode. Something that
has rhythm or is metrical. In the Book of Colossians, Paul lets us know that the word of Christ should be so fully
in our hearts that we can teach and admonish each other, using these psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Are you ready
to sing yet? Have you ever noticed that a good song will deliver just the message you need, whether it be one
of comfort, encouragement, or commitment, etc.? So, let's
throw back our heads and sing to the Lord and to each other with wisdom, as it says in Colossians 3:16 and with grace. Grace is graciousness that comes from God's divine influence on our hearts.
That's probably why Paul said, to sing, "with grace in your hearts to the Lord." No matter what we say
or do, God wants us to do it all in the name of Jesus and give thanks to our Father. Now, is there anything that
we do that we cannot do in the name of the Lord Jesus? Getting away from singing for a moment, I'm guessing here that
if we can't say something or do something in the name of the Lord Jesus and know that God is pleased with our words or actions,
we should not say that thing or do that thing! Well, some of us may not be saying or doing much if we take this to
heart and that's exactly where the Lord is trying to get us to take it. To heart. So that we might sing with
true graciousness that flows from our hearts to Him and to one another! So that His divine influence will be visible
in everything we sing, say and do! To the Ephesians, Paul said that, as they sing these songs, hymns, and spiritual
songs, they ought to be doing the following: Ephesians 5:20 (KJV) giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Paul's message can't be much clearer and it is repeated in at least two of his letters,
the one to the Ephesians and the one to the Colossians. As he finishes his admonitions for all believers
to, "throw back their heads and sing" (my paraphrase which really came from a spiritual song that I heard), he
reminds us to constantly be giving thanks! That reminds me of the worship song that goes like this: "Give
thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. Give
thanks!" The early church did a lot of singing from the Old Testament scriptures and
they composed other songs too. Now, it's left to you and me to do the singing! God is worthy to be
praised! You might think, or say, "...but I can't sing." Even if you can't carry a tune in a bucket,
you're God's precious child and He loves to hear His children sing from the grace that He has placed in their hearts!
So, let's throw back our heads and sing. I can just picture our Heavenly Father smiling down on us! He might
even join in our singing. How awesome would that be?!? Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV) 17 The
LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love,
he will joy over thee with singing. MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 10, 2010 HAVE ANOTHER DRINK! Ephesians 5:18 (KJV) I'm going to start right off by saying that I have seen and suffered the destructive effects of alcohol
in my family. My children's father was killed in a motorcycle accident that was partly a result of too much alcohol.
Other members of my family have suffered, and caused suffering, because of an excess of alcohol. Proverbs 20:1 (AMP) 1 WINE
IS a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise. If
we want to be really wise and really happy, we won't drink to get drunk! Ecclesiastes 10:17 (NLT) 17 Happy
is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not
to get drunk. So, from the "git-go", I'm in total agreement with the Apostle,
Paul. Too much wine (or any kind of alcohol) is very destructive. On the other hand, you can't have
too much of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who said He was the living water, is still the living water and we can continually
drink in His Spirit! So, instead of grabbing that glass of wine, take another drink! But, this time, drink in
His Spirit until you are filled to the brim! You may start doing and saying things that you had no idea were in you;
but that's okay! When you are filled with the Spirit of the Lord, you say and do what pleases Him! Many of us have been in the place where we have heard, "so-called," friends say, "Have another
drink!" That is the world's way of soothing and numbing themselves to forget the problems at hand. However,
another drink of the Holy Spirit will help us rise above, solve, or be delivered from the problems at hand! Plus,
there is no hangover involved and we will not risk the chance of hurting ourselves or one another! Being drunk with
wine ruins lives. That's what the New Living Translation says. An excess of anything (except the Holy Spirit)
can be detrimental. Here in this verse, the word, "excess," is the equivalent of rioting or riotous
living. In particular, it means, "unsaved." Now, we as believers have received the gift of salvation
so we have no business being drunk! You can't be "saved," and "unsaved," at the same time!
Let me also say here that this is not the only sin that can be found in excess in us and in some of our brothers and sisters.
God is also opposed to the sin of gluttony! Check out this verse: Ezekiel 16:49 (KJV) 49 Behold, this was
the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither
did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Being too full of natural bread (food) will lead
to destruction, as we can see from this verse, and from scientific fact today, which proves that obesity is an early death
sentence! So, before we all get to judging each other too harshly, lets balance it out and remember what Jesus said
about the things that go into our mouths. Matthew 15:16-18 (AMP) 16 And
He said, Are you also even yet dull and ignorant [without understanding and unable to put things together]? 17
Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on into
the place where discharges are deposited? 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth
comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. I guess that what
I'm trying to say here is that a drunk person can become sober again and an obese person can lose weight and these things
are exactly what the Lord would delight in! But, despite my very negative experiences with the effects of alcohol,
I know that it is not the only thing that brings death. What
comes out of our mouth can defile us or it can cause blessing to flow onto others and onto ourselves.
We can speak life or death. Proverbs 18:21 (AMP) 21 Death and life
are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. Could
it possible be that sometimes we get so hung up on one sin that we begin to judge others harshly and use words that only
tear them down, bringing death instead of life? Could it be that we are just as much in sin as they are if we choose
to speak death with our tongues? How can we be sure that life will come out of our mouth? We can be filled with
the Holy Spirit! God has given us this gift. We can drink as much living water as we want to! Yes!
being filled with the Holy Spirit will lead to positive effects, but being filled with wine can, and will, bring harmful
effects. I know. I have seen this happen. I have been grieved many times because someone chose to
be drunk with wine instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to fill them. Just in case you think I am judging, I have no
right to judge. I have had times in my past life when I was drunk with wine and I want to say, today, that nothing
is impossible with God! His grace and mercy saw me through and protected me in those times and my desire is no longer
to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Holy Spirit! To be filled with the Spirit constantly, we have to do
the very same thing a drunkard does. We have to drink Him in constantly! John 7:37-39 (AMP) 37 Now
on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let
him come to Me and drink! 38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in
and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living
water. 39 But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed
(trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not
yet glorified (raised to honor). So, instead of yielding to the temptation to have another drink
of alcohol and risk being drunk, drink in God's Spirit. Be totally filled so that you are completely satisfied.
One more drink of the world's answer will only make you sick, sleepy, and out of your mind. When you wake up, your
problems will still be there! One more drink of the Holy Spirit will take you that much closer to the solution to
or deliverance from your problems. "Go ahead." the Lord calls to you and me, "Have another drink!" MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 9, 2010 LIVING WISELY Ephesians 5:15 15 See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, It sure can seem like the Apostle, Paul, is giving us detailed rules here in the book of Ephesians!
However, my impression is that he is not giving us rules and religious regulations to follow, but rather, he is giving
us things that we can see in ourselves and in others to prove that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:15 tells us again that we need to watch how we walk through life. And, as we will see later
on in this same book of Ephesians, Paul is going to go into some pretty detailed descriptions of things that will let
us know what we should look like as new creatures in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Because we love Jesus, the details that Paul talks about will show
themselves to be true in our lives. John 14:15 (KJV) Wisdom will tell us that the days are evil. Ephesians 5:16 (KJV) 16 Redeeming
the time, because the days are evil. If the days were evil in Paul's time, it doesn't take a whole lot
of wisdom to see that the days in which we are living are very evil! This word used for, "evil," in Ephesians 5:16 is also used to describe the devil who is, "the evil one". It is used to describe the speech,
character and lifestyle of those who choose bad over good, thereby bringing upon themselves death and destruction.
So, the Lord wants us to redeem the time in which we live. He wants us to rescue our time from loss in order
to counteract the current trend in the world toward evil. When we live wisely, we will be constantly seeking to
do what pleases the Lord. To do His will. The New Living Translation says that we should make the most
of every opportunity. Because we only have a certain amount of time to be walking the earth and, because time
we are living in is evil, we should make the most of every opportunity to be like Jesus and go about doing good! Acts 10:38 (KJV) 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost
and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
As believers, we don't have much, if any, excuse. We can know from scripture, even down to details,
what God's will is. Ephesians 5:17 (KJV)17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord
is. The Holy Spirit can, and will direct us, just like He directed Jesus, to make a difference in
our world today. We can live wisely and God has given us the power to do so. We can make a difference in this
evil world and push back the darkness brought about by the evil one to oppress those around us. Look what Jesus has
told us! John 14:12 (AMP) 12 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly
believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because
I go to the Father. Yes, friends! God has given us the power, through Jesus, to go about doing
good. Doing great things, in Jesus name, for His Kingdom. And, He has given us the assurance that we can
live wisely because He is our wisdom. We have a given amount of time to do this, and we don't know how
much time that is, so we need to be about redeeming the time by living wisely! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 8, 2010 WAKE UP - THERE'S LIGHT! Ephesians 5:13-14 (KJV) On a bright, sunny, hot
Texas summer morning, I can't sleep too late. When I was a teenager, I used to sleep until noon or longer, which
really irritated my dad because he liked to get up each morning at, "the crack of dawn." I've always loved
light! If I don't have light, I can't seem to wake up. But, since living in Texas and having that penetrating
light come right through the blinds, sometimes I wish it wouldn't come so soon. I want to sleep! When the Light
of the World shines down on us, He will wake us up. Some of us may want to keep sleeping, but the Light is so
bright that we have no choice but to wake up! Let's not pull the covers over our head and try to keep sleeping
when the Light of the World is shining! He says, "Wake up!" He wants to shine down on us and even fill
us up with light! When His light fills our spirit, lots of
things will be seen. I have had Him see some things in my life that I really didn't want Him to see. But
His light exposes everything. The scriptures tell us that everything is exposed and reproved by the Light.
When the Light comes, we can clearly see. After I started writing about Ephesians 5:14, I stopped for a while before finishing it and went to my e-mail. A friend had sent me an e-mail
from the ministry of Charles Stanley. The title was, "Time To Wake Up." Do you think
the Lord wants us to wipe the sleep from our eyes and clear up some things in our lives so we can take His clear
vision to the world? The following is a quote from the e-mail that I just mentioned. Unbelievers
see the revived activity of the church and are spiritually awakened to their own longing for a relationship with the living
God. The idea here is that we, as believers can't be asleep on the
job! When we wake up and look at our own lives in the light of Christ, clearing everything that does not belong
there, the world will see our example. In us, they will see Him! They will want what we have! The world will want
what we have only after they get over having their own deeds exposed by the Light that is in us and shines through us.
The New Living Translation says this about those workers of darkness, of whose deeds we are not even to speak:
Ephesians 5:13-14 (NLT) 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on
them, This statement shows that we do not need to expose the works of darkness by staring at them
or graphically describing them with words. All we have to do is live our lives in the Light and they will automatically
be exposed! As we discussed yesterday, that may cause a problem with those who are completely unwilling to turn
to the light, and there will be some of those! John 3:19-21 (NLT) 19 And the judgment is based on this fact:
God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21
But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
These people may walk out of our lives angrily because we don't participate with them in the dark but our job
is to stay awake and keep believing, no matter what! We never know just how much influence we have on the lives of
others, even if they don't show it right away. God's Light is shining! John 3:18 (NLT)
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has
already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. You and I have the privilege and
opportunity to open the curtains of our lives wide and let the Son shine in. If we wake up and walk in the Son, we
can draw others to Him, and away from judgment! How's that for a good reason to wake up early! Wake
up! The Son is shining! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 7, 2010 ARE YOU SHINING? Ephesians 5:8 (KJV) Did you ever wish you were a star? Want to be in moves or on TV? I have to confess that I did!
Not a whole lot of people achieve that but, as believers, we are already stars when we have determined to live for
the Lord! We don't have to work at it! God has made us that way for His own glory! There is no doubt that
we have to learn our part in this story of, "life," though. We need to let our light (the light that
Christ has put in us) shine out so that no one can come away from our presence without knowing they were in a bright light
- in the presence of a, "star," if you will. Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT) 14 Do
everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you.
Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. The
Amplified Bible says, "stars or beacons shining out clearly." I see here that
part of our role is to do everything without complaints and arguments. The thing is, we're not just playing a part.
This is reality - real life. So, some of us may need an attitude adjustment if we are constantly complaining about
our spouse, the government, our taxes, whatever. God is bigger than all of those things. If we constantly
have to be right, and argue until we prove we are right, it may be that the our sparkle is fading. Our gleam
is dying. Even in the Old Testament, God spoke about His people shining like stars. Daniel 12:3 (KJV) 3 And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for
ever and ever. Daniel was writing about the last times here. Dark times. Light shines brightest
in the darkness and this is a very dark time. Are you ready to shine like a star? We must be ready to walk
as children of Light! What does a light that is as bright
as a star look like? What are it's characteristics? They are goodness, righteousness, and truth. Ephesians 5:9 (KJV) 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth;) As shining stars, we need to show fruit of goodness. It is interesting that this
word, "goodness," denotes something of benefit and something virtuous. But, more interesting is
the fact that some earlier scholars say that this particular word used in Ephesians 5:9 includes the sterner aspects of goodness as well. Maybe what we might call, "tough love," today.
These scholars point to Jesus cleansing the temple and His putting the Pharisees in their place, things that are less gentle
than we might want to think. To show the quality of righteousness, we need to show innocence, holiness and
live in a just manner. Of course, truth means just that. Truth. That's what God's stars look like. Living
in this manner, the Lord tells us to prove what pleases Him. Ephesians 5:10 (KJV) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. We
can prove what is acceptable to God by living out His will. I have had a problem in my life wondering whether
I can really know His will, much less prove it. But, God never calls us to do something that we cannot do in His
strength. Stars rise higher than the world and this is how God says we can know His perfect will and shine brightly
for Him. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) 1 And
so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them
be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing
the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. God
has allowed you and me, imperfect though we are, to immerse ourselves in His Word until we are transformed in our
thinking to think just like He does and to know His perfect will! We can prove His will by joyfully living
out His Word! By shining like stars! I'm still thinking about that word, "goodness."
As light, we get to shine and look pretty good. We get to sparkle! I like that! But, as we shine,
there may be a commotion in our lives and the lives of others. The more we shine, the more the unfruitful works of
darkness will be exposed. As our renewed minds start to shine, we may even find some dark things in the corner of
our own lives. This is uncomfortable but God is not into revealing things to shame us or to bring condemnation.
He's revealing to do His healing! We may have to walk away from some people because they refuse to come
to the Light, the true Light being Jesus. This is going to make people who want to walk in the darkness uncomfortable.
As if that is not enough, the Lord says that we are to shine so brightly that we totally expose the works of darkness.
Oh my, there will be some things exposed within ourselves that we might rather have left stuffed somewhere in the back
of our hearts and minds. And, others will be exposed. Let me tell you, when we expose evil, the devil gets angry!
So, if we find that we get up on the stage of life, rise high and shine like stars only to have others try to shoot
us down, we should not be surprised! We need to remember the words of Jesus. Matthew 5:10 (AMP) 10 Blessed and
happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds
satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for
righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! Yes, persecution
may come and we need to remember that persecution, in this case, is a blessing. The reward is great if we are persecuted
for letting Jesus shine out from us. He promises that He will give us the kingdom of Heaven! Has anyone ever
given you a kingdom? Jesus did if you will receive it! This is where I keep coming back to that
word, "goodness," and the fact that it may include a stern factor. A tough factor. It's not really
fun to make people angry and then have to bear ridicule and persecution for it. But, sometimes that's what light
does. And the brighter the light, the more exposure there is! Our goodness must have a confrontational side.
It includes rebuking darkness. It includes telling someone about a fault that they have. Of course, this all
has to be done in love because it is only by the grace of God that we are not in a dark place too. It has to do
with bringing conviction on the workers of darkness, but never condemnation! Jesus came to
save the world, not to condemn it. Now, we are told not to have any fellowship with any of these things but, not only
that, we are not even to speak of them! Ephesians 5:12 (KJV) 12 For
it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Well now, being a star
may not be what we thought it was going to be! Being a star for the Lord will mean that we rise higher than the world,
love those that are walking in darkness so much that we shine clear, pure and bright in front of them. We must be
willing to take the heat for exposing things that are trying to stay hidden away. We must be courageous enough to
keep shining even when we feel like we have no shine left! When we feel the loneliness of being out there all alone.
As believers, God has made you and me, "stars." It may even be that we get some applause once in a while.
A real star will let that glory bounce right off of himself or herself and back to the God who made the stars! If
you have received Jesus and are living joyfully for Him, you are a star! It's dark in this world. Shine
brightly! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 6, 2010 WHO ARE YOUR PARTNERS? Ephesians 5:7 (KJV) I'm
not a dancer, but I would think that most really good dancers would want a good partner. Dancing with someone who is
clumsy and uncoordinated would not paint a pretty picture. We all have the privilege of choosing who will be our partners
in life. How do we pick our partners in life? The Apostle, Paul, is saying, here in Ephesians 5:7 that we should not be partners with the following types of people. In fact, we should not participate with them!
Just a small review of some of the types of people that we are not to partner with is as follows: sexually immoral
people, greedy people, impure people, idolatrous people. In general, it can be summed up with the phrase, "people
who are disobedient to God." This does not mean that we do not try to get the Good News of the gospel out to these
people. It just means that they should not be our partners in this walk we call, "life." It's been
said that it's much easier to pull another down than it is to lift another up. This is especially true in the case
of sin! So, when Paul says, "therefore," he puts it "there for" a reason! It is Paul's desire
that we should not be pulled back into the sinful life we once lived. Is there anyone in your life that is pulling
you down into sin? Don't be partners with them! I'm not saying that you should divorce your spouse because they
are living a life of sin. But, we can refuse to participate! In love, of course! Paul goes on to explain why we should not be partners or participants with people whose life-pattern is
disobedience to God. I am thinking of the popular phrase, "good friends don't let drunk friends drive," or
something of the sort. Our example of living a Christlike life by refusing to participate in the above negative examples
can seem uncomfortable to others. Like taking the car keys away from someone who is about to drive while intoxicated.
It will be disturbing to those who are living a poor lifestyle. Yet, we cannot be a better friend to another than to
walk out the example of Jesus in front of them! Many of us have walked in darkness before Jesus came to set us free
and shed His Light into our lives. John 8:12 (NRSV) 12 Again Jesus
spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the
light of life." When it's dark, you can't see where you're going. Many who live in darkness
don't even know they are walking into destruction! If you and I are followers of Jesus, He has called us
to be the His light in this dark world. Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT) 14 “You
are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No
one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone
in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to
see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. One thing I notice in this passage from Matthew 5:14-16 is that Jesus said, "let your good deeds shine out for all to see." He didn't say, "let your
preaching be loud enough for everyone to hear." I am not against preaching. It is a necessary thing to do.
But, what do our deeds say about us to others and are they instrumental in helping others to find Jesus? When we refuse
to participate with another in a thing that doesn't please God, we will be helping them to see Jesus,
so long as we keep "self"-righteousness out of the way. All we have to do is to say, "I'm sorry. This
thing is wrong for me to do because it will cause me to be disobedient to God." Just being the light of the world, as Jesus has instructed us to do, will change things in our lives and
in the lives of others. Children of the Light exhibit such things as goodness righteousness and truth. If
we remember these three things, we will look for others in life to partner with that also exhibit these things. We
will not, then, find ourselves unequally yoked with someone who does not believe! 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (AMP) 14 Do
not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them,
inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness?
Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between
Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16
What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even
as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and
they shall be My people. 17 So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate
(sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat
you with favor, 18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and
daughters, says the Lord Almighty. It is so clear in Paul's writings that those of us who believe must
not partner with those who do not believe. Rather, here is what we should do. Ephesians 5:10 (AMP) 10 And try to
learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to
Him]. Here is how it is translated in the King James Version: Ephesians 5:10 (KJV) 10 Proving
what is acceptable unto the Lord. When we prove something, it involves discernment and examination.
When we discern and examine what is acceptable to the Lord, we are looking for things that are fully acceptable and
well-pleasing to Him. In our choices of good friends, business partners, and future spouses, with whom are we partners?
There may be some that we have to let go because they refuse to walk in the Light. Just who are our partners; and do
they want us to participate in things that do not please God? Are we willing to be light to their dark world by walking
away from such things? MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 4, 2010 THE WRATH OF GOD Ephesians 5:6 (KJV) This phrase, "the wrath of God,"
may not seem like an encouraging phrase to you. You may be tempted to stop reading right now! But, before you
decide that you do not want to hear about the wrath of God, you can know and be encouraged that it will not fall on
you if you are one of His obedient children. The scripture in Ephesians 5:6 says God's wrath will fall only on the disobedient! The Amplified Bible says the wrath (or fierce anger) of
God comes upon people who rebel against God. The Apostle, Paul, has outlined for us the sinful vices that may ensnare
us and cause us to be disobedient. He has done this in great detail in the earlier verses in Ephesians. Paul
wants us to know that, if we are obedient children (and joyful obedience is the key), we are blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed,
favored and forgiven. Sealed by the Holy Spirit too! Do
you think the devil wants us to be receivers of all of God's gifts spoken of in Ephesians 1 and other places in the scripture? Nope. Not any more than he wanted Adam and Eve to live
perfect lives in close communion with God in the Garden of Eden! So, the devil did there what he tries to do still
to us today. He mixes a bit of truth together with a lie. That's called deception. In case you were unaware
of the fact, the devil knows scripture and he also goes to church! What better place to find God's children than in
church? That's why we must constantly be aware that church is not a building. It's a Body. The Body of
Christ which is made up of Christ-followers. Just because someone is in a pulpit or on a platform and we hear
some scripture does not mean that they are of God. How sad it is to have to say that! And, this is precisely
why Paul had to warn us to be careful of these who call themselves preachers and teachers. What they purposefully
don't tell us is that they are false teachers and preachers working as cohorts of Satan, having wormed their
way into the church by deception! We have to study to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the Word of God,
living the truth that we find there so we won't be deceived by anyone. Not even those who may be leaders in the churches
of today! 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT) 15 Work hard so you
can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly
explains the word of truth. The Berean's were commended because they always went and checked out the
preaching they heard to be sure it was in alignment with the scriptures. Acts 17:11 (NLT) 11
And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s
message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. We must do that, as well. Paul mentioned
false teachers back in Ephesians 4:14. Ephesians 4:14 (AMP) 14 So then, we may no
longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind
of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of
trickery in inventing errors to mislead. Let us encourage one another in the Truth so that
none of us will be like these children, tossed too and fro between everything we hear from men. A wise person
once said, after hearing some differing opinions in a prayer meeting, "God, I've heard from men, now I want to hear
from You!" Yes, these false teachers were alive and well in Paul's day too. They twisted the truth
about freedom in Christ to mean that we could go on living in whatever manner that makes us feel good because we have been
set free. It is absolutely true that, whom the Son sets free is free indeed! John 8:36 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 4, 2010 GOD SAYS, "BUT RATHER," Ephesians 5:4 (KJV) 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. There's
a lot to do in this world. In case you haven't noticed (but I'm sure you have), much of it is not good. There
are things that used to be kept secret and were regarded as shameful (as they should be). The Apostle, Paul
will let us know about this sort of thing later on in Ephesians 5. My! How Paul says it like it is! He doesn't pull any punches. If anyone will
read through and pay any attention at all to the Book of Ephesians, they will not come away without knowing how
to live (or not live) for the glory of God! In Ephesians 5:3-5, Paul goes into more detail, reminding us believers about some things of which we must steer clear!
But, here again, thankfully, God, through Paul, says, "but rather...." It is much like the, "insteads,"
of which we recently spoke. God doesn't want us to get rid of stuff in our lives and leave a void there. He is
careful to let us know what we should put there instead! How merciful and wonderful is our God? He doesn't leave
us in the dark about what to do! He sends His Light! In Ephesians 5:3, Paul lists three more things that should have no place in our lives. These are fornication, uncleanness,
and covetousness. The first in this particular list is from the Greek word, "porneia." Does this word
look strangely familiar to us? Pornography? The word, according to Strong's Dictionary, means, "harlotry
(including adultery and incest). Figuratively, it means, "idolatry." It is the same word that is
used in the following verse which makes it pretty clear what Paul is talking about here. 1 Corinthians 6:13 (NLT) 13 You
say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away
with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord,
and the Lord cares about our bodies. The Amplified Bible describes this word as sexual vice. The second in Paul's list in Ephesians 5:3 is uncleanness. This word includes impurity of any kind; physical or moral. The Amplified
Bible describes this as "lustful, rich, wasteful living"). Oh dear! I'm so glad there is a, "rather,"
coming up. A way of escape, if you will. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) 13 The temptations
in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more
than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. The third
thing in the list in Ephesians 5:3 of which we are to avoid is covetousness. In a word, this means, "greediness," but implied
within the meaning is fraud and extortion. Only the Lord can search our hearts and reveal to us if any of these things
are in our lives. We need to ask Him to do that from time to time and take a good look at what He says because
these kinds of things are not to be found among God's people! 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) 5 Examine
yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you
have failed the test of genuine faith. As I read through these words that Paul penned, under the influence
of the Holy Spirit, I can see why some people may shy away from Paul's writings. I would shy away too if I didn't know
that Paul endured many hardships in his love for Christ and his desire to have you and I experience the true abundant
and pure life that Jesus died to give us! Paul is speaking the truth in love but the truth can be hard if we have let
some bad habits creep into our lives. Nevertheless, the truth that we know will set us free! Free indeed!
There was a reason why the phrase, "the truth hurts," was brought into being. If a doctor finds a cancerous
growth in someone, and that cancer can be cured by cutting out the growth, the doctor will cut it out. It's going to
hurt for a while, maybe a long while. But, the results will be life and not death. I think that is what
Paul is trying to express to us here. God said a long time ago, in relation to obedience to His Word: "Choose
life, not death!" Well, we're finally down
to some more things listed in Ephesians 5:4! Three more things to be exact! Filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting. Okay, let's pick
these apart a bit. Filthiness is shamefulness and it is related, in this case, to obscenity. It has to do
with disgrace and any kind of impurity. Do you think Paul is being very clear for us? I think it is dreadfully
clear. There's hardly a TV program, movie, magazine, book, or even nightly news that we can look at without
finding most or all of these things! What about foolish talking? Strong's Dictionary defines this as, "silly
talk," and "buffoonery." Trench describes it as "that 'talk of fools' which is
foolishness and sin together" (Syn. xxxiv).Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words. It
is also defined as, "idle talk." Hmmm........ Matthew 12:36 (AMP) 36 But I tell
you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
Are you ever guilty of just talking to hear yourself talk? Do you ever just jabber away about nothing?
There is nothing wrong with a little bit of silence! At first when I saw all of this, I began to laugh when I realized
just how much I talk and how, "operative," it is (or is not). But, it's not really funny! I have
to give account for every word I speak and so do you! Let's encourage one another to speak operative words that
bring life to ourselves and others! Now, to the third, and last thing in this list. In case all of the above
was not clear enough, Paul is brutally honest with us again. No jesting! "What is jesting?", you might
ask. I did. It is wit, facetiousness, and versatility, according to the Vine's Dictionary. It is something
like I once heard a boy ask a girl: "Do you want to loose ten pounds of ugly fat?" Of course, the
girl answered, "Yes!" His answer: "Cut off you head!" He was joking, of course, but,
nevertheless, the words were cutting and should never have been uttered! It was a coarse joke, as the Living Translation
renders the word, "jesting." But, there is a, "rather," or an, "instead," given by Paul at
this point. If we have examined ourselves and found something there that doesn't belong, we can, with the help of
God, get rid of it and replace it. With what? Thanksgiving! Any one of us can find innumerable
things for which to be thankful. Every time a bad thought or temptation comes our way, let's determine to try
to change it by giving thanks to God for anything that comes to mind. Look around, there's so much for which to be
thankful! Paul sums up this section of, "no-no's," and the, "rather," with the following: Ephesians 5:5 (NLT) 5 You can be sure that
no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping
the things of this world. We can, and should, be encouraged this morning, knowing that our Father in
Heaven is so not willing that any of us should perish, He has given us, through Paul, the way to work out our salvation
as we live the days of our lives. Philippians 2:12-13 (KJV) 12 Wherefore,
my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do of his good pleasure. Notice that we do not have to work for our salvation. That would
be impossible. But we have to work out the gift God gave us. Notice also that, although the testing may be hard,
it is God Who works in us to help us do His will and bring Him pleasure! There are a lot of things that
we should not do but, rather, one thing can occupy our minds for the rest of our lives so that we will not be tempted
to do those other things. But, Rather, let us give the thanks to God that He deserves.
If we do that, we will not have time for the other things! MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 3, 2010 OUR EXAMPLES Ephesians 5:1 (AMP) THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved
children [imitate their father]. I am rediscovering what a treasure-trove the scriptures are! Much of what I find seems hard at first and I am well
aware that I can't do most of the things God instructs us to do without the help of Jesus. I cling to the words
of God that tell me that, in my weakness, I am made strong and that I can do ALL things through Christ who constantly strengthens
me as I seek to do His will. I cling to the words of God that tell me that I can't do anything without Jesus, so I
try always to be calling on Him for my strength. You probably do too! The scriptures are a storehouse of treasures
and a powerhouse from which I can find strength to live each day! I'm still digging for treasure in the Book of Ephesians!
Now, I've come to the beginning of Ephesians 5. In the first chapter, we were thoroughly encouraged in Christ by the Apostle, Paul. Then each of his words
started becoming increasingly harder. Lots of things were mentioned that we should be doing (or not be doing).
It could become difficult if we were to make rules out of it or make it ritualistic. But, God is not as interested
in rules, ritual, and regulation, as He is in relationship. He is our Father! He wants to give
us the very best gifts and He wants to know that He can trust us with them. Just like we are with our own children!
By the way, in case you had or have imperfect earthly parents (and we all do from time to time because each and every
person is God's work in progress), we need to know that God is not a parent that says, "Do as I say, not as I do."
Nor does His character reflect that sort of thinking! No. He wants us to be imitators of Him and He knows that,
if we do that, we won't have to worry about rules, regulations and ritual. We will just watch our Father and do what
He does! To whom do we look for an example to follow? It should be that we first look to our Father
in Heaven! Whatever He is doing, that's what we should be doing. Whatever He thinks, that's what we should
be thinking. Whatever He loves, that's what we should love. And, whatever He hates, that's the thing we should
hate! In a vibrant and healthy relationship, rules do exist
and we do some things kind of by rote; but they don't become ritual, and there are regulations but these things come
naturally when you are in a happy, loving, living and vibrant relationship. They don't come from trying.
They come from being who we are and from loving the one we love. For example, if one has a growing and healthy
marriage, the rule (or command) not to commit adultery will be a natural part of that relationship. It is in opposition
to the relationship to want to be unfaithful to our spouse. We don't go out the door every day, thinking, "I
must be faithful to my spouse today because it's a rule I have to follow." If the relationship is a good one,
we will part from one another in the morning sharing a hug and saying, "I love you." That love is what is
going to keep us from being unfaithful, should the temptation arise. Now, many of us have experienced divorce because our parents have chosen that path. But, God, who
is love, doesn't make that choice for us and it is certainly not His best for us or for our children. If you have made
that mistake in your life, God is willing to forgive you if you come with a repentant heart and if you will ask
Him. What God's will is for all of us who have become His children, through Christ, is just this - to imitate
our Father. Our children, many times, imitate us; the good, the bad, and the ugly! That's why it's important
that we choose to imitate our Heavenly Father! Our Father didn't just tell us to imitate Him without leaving us
an example besides the description of His character in the scriptures. He gave us a living example! John 14:9-11 (NLT) 9 Jesus
replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen
me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t
you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in
me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the
Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. Jesus imitated His Father
and gave us a living example of how to live a life that shows that we are God's children! God, through Paul,
is speaking to each one of us today. We are without the excuse of not having an example to follow! There
are a lot of poor examples that the world tries to imitate and follow, but they will all fall (as we have seen so many times when
people rise to a point where their character cannot keep them). Paul says we should be imitators of our Father and
of our Big Brother, which is Jesus. Ephesians 5:2 (NLT) 2
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice
for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Who is your example today? Whom are you following and imitating? Are
our lives filled with love? The kind of love that made Jesus willing to sacrifice Himself for the ones loved?
Are we in a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whereby being like Him has become our lifestyle rather
than a set of rules and ritual? Is our own example to others stinky? Or, is it the sweet smell of our Savior
who followed and imitated His Father in order that we might have this abundant life? Whose example are we
following? MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 2, 2010 INSTEAD Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) Yesterday, we went through a whole bunch of things
in Ephesians 4:31 that we are supposed to put away from ourselves. Today, the Apostle, Paul, tells us what
to put in the void. The instead. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through
Christ has forgiven you. The things that have to be thrown in the in the trash are all negative things
that bring hurt, destruction, and sometimes even death to ourselves and others. The long list of negatives from yesterday
becomes a list of three simple positive things to do instead. Everyone loves to receive kindness. The first
in this list of the three behaviors that will please God is "be kind to one another." How
do we do that? What does it mean to be kind? According to Vine's Dictionary, it means that we are, "serviceable." Prone
to service. The original Greek word for the word, "kind," comes from a root word meaning,
"employed." It means to be good and to be gracious. Can that be said of us in all of our dealings with
others? This same word for, "being kind," is used in the following passage. Luke 6:35-36 (NLT) 35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend
to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as
children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate,
just as your Father is compassionate. I think I'm seeing the flavor of kindness. It is to be of
service and be gracious about it in every situation. That's exactly the way our Heavenly Father treats us. As
the Amplified Bible Version puts it, Luke 6:35-36 (AMP) 35 But
love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and
hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your reward)
will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable
and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. 36 So be merciful (sympathetic,
tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these]. That would not exactly be
my first reaction of how to treat someone who was my enemy but that's exactly what we're supposed to do instead
of all those other things we might think to do! Now, what about being tenderhearted?
That's the second in the list of the three, "insteads." It could be that people might think that being tenderhearted
is being weak. Far from it! It takes a strong person to be tenderhearted. To be willing to have a heart
that is soft enough to be hurt; and to hurt with others when they are hurting. We're supposed to be, "well-compassioned,"
according to the meaning of the original Greek word. This same word is used in the following passage. 1 Peter 3:8 (AMP) 8 Finally, all [of you]
should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit), sympathizing [with one another], loving [each other] as brethren [of
one household], compassionate and courteous (tenderhearted and humble). We need to ask God to
help us to have much affection for others, just as He has much affection for us. Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) 3 The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee. The third and final thing in the list of three, "insteads," in Ephesians 4:32 is to forgive one another. This is more than just a quick, "I forgive you," if
someone has hurt you. It is a style of living. That's evident by the fact that Paul says that we must forgive
each other just like God, in Christ, forgave us. That's a boatload of intense and continual forgiveness!
Here is Ephesians 4:32 in the Amplified Version of Scripture 32 And
become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving
one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you. Are we always ready to freely forgive
one another just like God has forgiven us? What if someone keeps on needing forgiveness? Will God forgive that
person? It appears that He will and I'm so thankful because I am constantly in need of having my fee washed by the
Lord's forgiveness. When I walk in this world, sometimes I get my feet dirty! If you didn't notice, there's
lots of dirt out there on the road of life! 1 John 1:8-10 (NLT) 8 If we claim we have
no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 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. 10
If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
Did you ever wonder, like the Apostle, Peter wondered, how many times you had to offer forgiveness
to the same person? How many times has God offered forgiveness to you? Can you count all those times?
I can't. Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT) 21 Then
Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! Have
you ever been so sure of yourself and blurted out something you thought was good and right in a conversation, or a class,
only to realize soon after that you didn't really get it and you didn't see the whole picture? You were wrong!
Well, Peter thought he was being exactly right when He asked Jesus if we should forgive a person seven times; but Peter
did not get the whole picture. No, said Jesus, not seven times, but seventy times seven! Well, three things
may not sound like a whole lot but if you put them all together, it becomes a pattern of things that should characterize
my lifestyle, and yours, if we belong to Christ. Kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. Constantly!
Not much to remember but quite a bit to do! Thank God, He has indicated that we can do all things through Christ
as He strengthens us and that He has told us that, with Him, all things are possible! With that in mind, do we need to start
working on the, "insteads?" MORNING MANNA - AUGUST 1, 2010 HAVE YOU PUT IT AWAY? Ephesians 4:31 (KJV) I have to tell you that, as excited as I was
to start going through Ephesians 1, the more I am convicted going through the rest of the book. It is so good that the Apostle, Paul,
took the time to encourage us right from the, "git go," because as we get deeper and deeper into his letter to
the Ephesians and to us, we find that it gets harder and harder! It's great to go back and remember that, if we've
given our hearts and lives to Jesus, we're blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, sealed, and so much more!
But, to whom much is given, much is required! As I thought of Luke 12:48, I was reminded of the fact that God has given us all so much. There is no excuse for anyone to be
ignorant of the scriptures, especially in countries where numerous copies are available and so many ministries trumpet the Good
News! Luke 12:48 (KJV) 48 But he that knew
not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him
shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Even those
who have no access to the scriptures have no excuse because all of creation speaks of God (although many in the world
today deny a divine Creator). Romans 1:20 (NLT) 20 For
ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his
invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. The
bottom line is that not a one of us have any excuse for not knowing God; and those of us who have access to His Word have
no excuse for not living in a way that is pleasing to Him. It's all spelled out and repeated over and over again! When we get to the end of Ephesians 4, Paul seems to be re-phrasing things he has already said or implied. He makes everything perfectly
clear for us. Is there anything that we don't understand about getting rid of bitterness? By the way, to, "put
away," here means, "to take away." So, it's simple. We have to take bitterness away from our
lives in order to be pleasing to God and to reflect his character in this world. What is bitterness? Well,
the first definition in Strong's dictionary has to do with, "poison!" Most of us would not ingest poison
on purpose. We know that if we did, it would, most likely, kill us or, at the very least, make us very sick.
That same Greek word is used in the following passage. Hebrews 12:15 (NLT) There are six things that Paul says we should rid ourselves of
in Ephesians 4:31. Besides bitterness there is wrath. What does wrath look like? It is when one becomes fiercely indignant,
even their breathing pattern shows it! I guess we've all come in contact with one of those. Hopefully, we
have put that thing to rest in ourselves! Another thing is anger. That has to be put away too. In this
context, it is a violent passion which includes indignation, and even vengeance! Not a good thing to hang onto
since the Lord has told us that vengeance belongs to Him! It's not a good idea to rob God of something that belongs
to Him or we could become the target of His vengeance! As has been said, "You don't really want
a 'whoopin' from the Lord!'" The next thing is clamour. That's not a word commonly used today, so, what
is it? It's actually an imitation of a raven's cry. Not a pretty sound. In practicality, it is quarreling,
brawling, and/or contention. As if that is not enough for us to chew on today, there's still more that we need
to put away. The fifth thing is evil speaking, which is, essentially, "blasphemy." You only need to
go to the movies or just watch TV to see that most people have not put evil speaking away! But, it is different
for you and me. We know now; and now it is required of us to work through the grace of God to put this away from us.
I believe we need to put it away, not just by not doing it, but also, as far as is possible, refusing to listen to it!
This evil speaking also includes abusive language. It's quite possible to rip someone up one side and down the other
without ever using what we might deem as crude or foul words! Okay, we're down to putting away the last
thing. It's malice. The Amplified Version of the Bible defines that as, "spite, ill will, or baseness of
any kind. In the Strong's Dictionary, the indications are even stronger. They include badness, depravity, active
malignity, trouble, naughtiness, and wickedness. Phew! That's a lot of stuff. Every house that is
cluttered is lacking peace. What is your house like today? For me, I have found that lots of house cleaning needs
to be done. Everything needs to be put in it's place. All of these things we mentioned today need to be put away
in their place. Where is that place? The trash can! Is there anything you need to put away today? MORNING MANNA - JULY 31, 2010 DO WE CAUSE GRIEF? Ephesians 4:30 (TLB) - Don't cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way you live. Remember, he is the
one who marks you to be present on that day when salvation from sin will be complete. What exactly is this grief, or sorrow, that the Apostle Paul is
speaking about in Ephesians 4:30? I decided to check it out and found that it made me sad but, in a good sense, because it further opened
my eyes to the way to live the abundant life and be pleasing to the Lord. The sad thing is that many times, you and
I have probably grieved the Holy Spirit! We have distressed Him and caused Him to be sad. To be sorrowful.
To be in heaviness. In grief. I sure know, from a personal point of view, what it means to grieve. I'm
sure you do too. But, I just wonder how it is for the Holy Spirit. There are so many of us that have known His
kindness and received His gifts. You'd think that we would be so grateful that we would never think of causing Him
grief! But, it seems that God's children have been doing that for ages! Look what the prophet, Isaiah says
about God's children in this passage. Isaiah 63:8-10 (NLT) 8 He
said, “They are my very own people. Surely they will not betray me again.” And he became their Savior. 9 In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy
he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. 10 But
they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he became their enemy and fought against them. The
original word used here for, "grieved," means exactly that plus so much more. It has the connotation of
carving. Oh my! Could it be that the very people to whom God has given so much could carve on and grieve
and pain His Spirit? I don't like saying it, but it is true. It is our choice to grieve the Holy Spirit or
to submit to Him and walk in and with Him. You might be asking,
right about now, "So, how do we do this walking in and with Him?" As I have been going through the book
of Ephesians I have seen the Apostle, Paul, trying his best to let us know what we do to grieve the Holy Spirit. There's
a great deal of it spelled out in Ephesians 4. God has sent his Spirit to us to guarantee our salvation. All by itself, that is reason
enough to want to keep from causing Him sorrow! 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT) 21 It is God who enables
us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has
identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he
has promised us. Look at this verse from Ephesians 1:13-14 (TLB) And because of what Christ
did, all you others too, who heard the Good News about how to be saved, and trusted Christ, were marked as belonging
to Christ by the Holy Spirit, who long ago had been promised to all of us Christians. His presence within us is God's
guarantee that he really will give us all that he promised; and the Spirit's seal upon us means that God has already
purchased us and that he guarantees to bring us to himself. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious
God. Okay, now we have a motive and reason not to bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit. He is the very
one in whom we are sealed so that we will one day finally see all the good that God has in store for us! Paul begs us to live and act in a way that is worthy of those who have
been chosen. That's us! I remember that from Ephesians 1! So, let me go back to the beginning of Ephesians 4 and, come with me if you will. I know we all know all of these things already but, with all the distraction
and loud voices coming from the world, it never hurts to have a little refresher course. How to live as a believer,
101. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other. Let your love make allowances for the faults of
others. Be at peace with one another. Remember that we're all a part of one body and you and I are attached to
each other somewhere along the line! Remember that God has given us each special gifts and remember to use them
to build up His Body. Grow up in Christ (this is one that is certainly ongoing). Don't be childish but be childlike
in your faith. Follow the truth, speak it and live it. Don't be bound by blindness and confusion; keep your mind
open to God and His Light. Throw off your old evil nature, which includes lust and falsity. Constantly be changing your
attitudes and thoughts for the better. (another one that is ongoing, for sure). Be holy and be good. Be
clothed with a new nature. Don't sin in your anger. Give it up by nightfall. Don't hold grudges and
thereby give the devil a foothold. Don't steal. Be an industrious worker. Give to others in need.
Don't use bad or crude language. Say things that are uplifting and helpful to others. Bless those around you!
Oh my goodness! That is one big refresher course!! I used the word, "you," many times in this paragraph
and just because I may be pointing at you, you have to know that four other fingers are pointing right back at me.
All of us have an opportunity to grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we live. We can choose to forget or ignore the
fact that we are sealed by Him. What does it mean to be sealed? We are, in effect, stamped with God's personal
signet, just as an earthly king might seal something with his signet. The Maker of Heaven and Earth has placed
His private mark on you and me so we can never be taken from His possession! That's why this, "refresher course," is
necessary for each and every one of us. We also have the opportunity to live and act in a way that is worthy of being
a child of God. We don't have to grieve His Spirit. We can be pleasing to His Spirit and walk in Him every step
of the way. Isn't it interesting that God always gives us a choice? What is your choice today? MORNING MANNA - JULY 30, 2010 DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A MINISTER? Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) 29 Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Most of us think, "clergy," when we hear the word, "minister."
We think about the ones who preach publicly and encourage the flock of God. They put together lots of words in a logical
and spiritual way and then speak them to those who attend church services. But, I think that I see here in Ephesians 4:29 that you and I are ministers too. We can either minister grace to our hearers or we can minister
something less productive! The word, "minister," simply means, "to give." It can also mean,
"to grant," "deliver," "bestow," "offer," and a few other things according to Strong's
Dictionary. An example can be of "seed yielding fruit," according to Vine's Dictionary. As believers,
we are supposed to be givers, and cheerful givers at that! We are also supposed to bear fruit. What can you
and I give cheerfully today to God and others? What is one way we can bear fruit? We can do it with
our words. No wonder the Apostle, Paul, is telling us here to watch what we say! The word, "corrupt,"
not only means, "corrupt," it also means, "worthless." The main meaning is, "rotten,"
and it comes from a root word meaning, "putrify," and "perish." Surely, as we speak to one another
and even to ourselves, we must be careful of our words. Not only those three and four letter words, but words
that bring death to the hearer (and ourselves) instead of the grace that we are told to minister. I was listening
to a sermon just this morning and the preacher described words that are less than graceful as, vain, stupid, useless,
powerless, and negative. Obviously, this sort of talk will not be uplifting to the listener! You and I are to speak life to the hearer (and the hearer includes our own self-talk).
God is the giver of life, the giver of good and fruitful words. The enemy is the one who is out to steal, kill, and
destroy - negative words if I have ever heard any negative words! Proverbs 18:21 (AMP) 21 Death and life are
in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. God
is good! He has given us great power in our tongue. Power that can kill or give life. The fact that we
have such power is awesome but the prideful person is going to get into a mess here. The one who is meek will have the victory.
Meekness is power under control. Our tongues are small but James says that when we misuse them, we're in
for trouble! James 1:26 (NKJV) 26
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this
one's religion is useless. It appears that useless words make the user useless! Not only
is the user useless, he or she is deceived and he or she has done it to themselves! I hate to say this and so I'm going
to say that the Bible literally says that this person's worship is in vain. It's profitless. It's empty.
How many of us use idle words and then try to worship the Almighty God of the universe? I have done that.
In fact, I spent the afternoon playing Scrabble with my daughter and we used some pretty idle words as we tried to think
of words to play and found that we could think of lots of words that were not edifying. Pretty scary when I realize
that I will be held accountable for every idle word I speak! Here's what Jesus says: Matthew 12:35-37 (KJV) 35 A good man
out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth
evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt
be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Going back to Ephesians 4:29 again, this is how it is translated in the Amplified Version: Let
no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such
[speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that
it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it. Every one of us is
a minister. Every one of us speaks words. What kind of words do we minister to others (and to ourselves)? I
know I have lots of work to do in this area, renewing my mind to speak only words that build up and add to my own and others
spiritual growth. Certainly, crude and abusive language is out of place in the life of any believer. But then
there are also those profitless, useless and idle words. Proverbs 10:31-32 (NLT) 31 The
mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. 32
The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. Be
encouraged today. You are a minister! Minister words of encouragement to others to build them up! Minister
grace. I'll be trying to do that right along with you! MORNING MANNA - JULY 29, 2010 STEALING AND WORKING Ephesians 4:28 (KJV) 28 Let
him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have
to give to him that needeth. Even though the times are economically hard today, work is a necessity. When people don't work, they are tempted
to steal. This is a sad affair. I am reminded of what the writer of Proverbs asked of the Lord.
Proverbs 30:8-9 (KJV) 8 Remove
far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of
my God in vain. This is a request by the writer to God to help him stay away from vanity and from
telling lies. I notice how this goes right along with what Paul has said in Ephesians about telling lies. Proverbs 30:9 demonstrates that, if one is very poor, that one will be tempted to steal. I also notice that, here in the King
James Version, taking God's name in vain is right there with stealing. If we say we believe, we need to stay away
from all sorts of stealing! My dad used to bring home pencils from the office. At the time, I didn't realize
that was stealing. I know someone who has been known to take towels from hotel rooms and didn't feel that there was
anything wrong with it. I have been raised in a world that thinks it's all right to do this sort of thing. As
a result, when I started working, guess what I did? I brought home pencils, tablets, notebooks, etc. Then I learned
from the Word of God that this was stealing! Oh my, what a shock! You see, I felt like I was a good upstanding
person because I was ignorant of the Word of God in that area. I just did what everybody else did! Isn't
it interesting that, when many people are doing something, it doesn't seem to be so wrong? But, it is wrong to steal
anything! Well, I looked up the word, "steal,"
in the Greek. Guess what it means? It means - are you ready for this? "Steal." Nothing
else but steal! Whoever has stolen anything needs to work to make money to give to those in need. Now, there's
a novel reason for working! We also have to work to sustain ourselves here on earth with food. Again, if one
doesn't work, that person will get hungry and be tempted to steal something to eat. But, the Word of God says this:
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 (NLT) 6 And
now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers
who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. 7 For
you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 We
never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of
you. 9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give
you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this
command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” Ouch! Work is necessary while
we live on earth. Someone in the family must work in order for the family to have food! This may be a reminder
to us to pray for those who are unemployed and homeless during these times. Paul's words in verse eight
remind me of when I was a young wife and mother. My dad worked right next door to the apartment building in which
I lived. Sometimes he would come for lunch. He always insisted on leaving me a little bit of money for the lunch
I had prepared for him! I didn't really want to take the money but, now I realize that he was teaching me a good principle! Are you stealing? Am I? We can steal from one another
and we can also steal from God! Malachi 3:8 (KJV)8 Will a man rob God?
Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Oh my goodness!
This is a hard saying for some but I'm so glad that I didn't say it. God did! If we tithe on what we earn (that
is giving a tenth), it will make a difference whether we work or not, won't it? If we don't work, we won't have anything
to give! If we do work, and don't give back to the One who has given us the employment, we are stealing from
God! And, stealing may not just have to do with money. How about your time? How do you use it? Are
you idle (as Paul was talking about in 2 Thessalonians 3:6? Without becoming religious about it, how much time do we give to God and others, compared to
the time we spend for recreation? It's just a thought - and one that I have to ask myself all the time.
My grandfather used to say, "Time is money." It's very true that, from the moment you click that time card
(if that is the way your place of employment records your work hours) until the time you click it again to go home, you
are earning money! It was your time in exchange for their money. Now, what are we going to do with it?
First, we give a portion to God in thanksgiving for what He has given to us. Secondly, we buy the food we need and
provide for our family. 1 Timothy 5:8 (AMP) 8 If
anyone fails to provide for his relatives, and especially for those of his own family, he has disowned the faith [by failing
to accompany it with fruits] and is worse than an unbeliever [who performs his obligation in these matters]. After
that, it's time to think about others who may not be as fortunate as ourselves. I like the way the Living
Bible paraphrases 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12: This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and doing your own
work, just as we told you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will trust and respect you, and you will
not need to depend on others for enough money to pay your bills. Yes, working and stealing are used within
the same verse in the Bible, Ephesians 4:28. Working was not originally designed for us to amass toys and stuff. I am not going to preach here because
I would be preaching to myself. I just wonder if our minds have been turned around by the enemy, in some cases, in
this area. The Apostle, Paul, says it like it is. As I get further into the book of Ephesians, his words get
harder and harder. Yet, it is this same Paul that was willing, because of his love for God and others, to
be chained in a dungeon and go through enormous hardship so that the message of the Gospel could get to the whole world!
So far, God has not asked me to make tents and spend what money I made to send the Good News out. But, if He did
ask me to do that, would I? Would you? Thank God, not many are called to such a task but we are all called
to live as is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. If we are not living that way, it just may be that we are stealing from God and stealing the opportunity from others
to hear about the salvation that Jesus offers! MORNING MANNA - JULY 28, 2010 DON'T OFFER THE DEVIL A FOOTHOLD! Ephesians 4:26 - 26 Be ye angry, and sin
not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. There is one thing I know in this life, from
experience. If you give the devil an inch, he'll take a mile. If we offer him a foothold in our lives, it will
soon become a stronghold and, without repentance, and the grace and mercy of Jesus, we will not be able to break free.
Maybe you're reading this and thinking, "I wouldn't think of giving the devil a foothold!" I wouldn't think
of doing it either, but sometimes I do! From my earliest years, a weakness in me has been to hold a grudge. I
believe I am growing out from that as Jesus reveals those places in my life; but I certainly do know that staying angry
for a long period of time has many detrimental effects on our bodies, our minds, our relationships, and just about everything
in our lives! It all starts out with anger. Have you met any really angry people? They can explode at
a moment's notice and you never know when it's going to happen. It's quite like a terrorist attack! By
the way, it's really a good idea not to be close friends with that kind of a person. Proverbs 22:24-25 (KJV) 24 Make
no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest
thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. You see, anger tends to be contagious! If you
stay around an angry person you will tend to become angry too! Don't hang around with people who spill poison into
the air with their outbursts of anger. It's okay to be angry but harboring anger and showing outbursts of temper
is not a way to handle that anger. All that does is give the devil an open invitation to our lives! God has given us a little formula here in Ephesians 4:26. Don't lie down to go to sleep if you are still angry about something. Exasperation, fury and indignation
don't make for good bed fellows. While you are sleeping with them, they will multiply and they will take
over, making you sick in mind and body. As I'm writing, I'm thinking of what we talked about yesterday, in that we
should tell the truth in love. Has someone offended you? Has someone made you angry? Before the sun goes
down each day, make a choice to either just forgive that person or to go to them and tell them the truth, in love,
about what they did to hurt you or cause offense. Either way, let love be your guide. Love for yourself
and love for the other person. After all, you may be going to bed being angry at someone who isn't even aware that
they did anything wrong! You let it eat away at you and, pretty soon, you're sick and the other person is going
along merrily through life never knowing they have been a stumbling block in your life. Never having the
opportunity, if they so choose, to make amends and receive your forgiveness! One commentary that I read says that Paul is saying that we should deal with any anger immediately so that
relationships are built rather than destroyed. Can you remember any time in your life when you stayed angry so
long that a relationship broke apart? And, just maybe, you can't even remember the incident that started it!
Oh, doesn't the enemy love that! Now, he has a foothold in at least one person's life and maybe two! And,
maybe neither of you can remember what started the whole thing. You just bottled up that anger, refused to confront the
situation in loving truth and kept feeding it. Now, the enemy may even have a stronghold because that anger will spill
over into ever facet of your life. I know this for sure. I have been an angry person, I have lived with angry
people, and I have seen many relationships corrupted by anger! Here's an interesting Biblical admonition regarding
anger. Ecclesiastes 7:9 (AMP) 9 Do not be quick in
spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom of fools. Oh my! Why make a fool
out of myself by being angry and vexed? Jesus said an interesting thing about anger too. Matthew 5:21-26 (NLT) 21 “You
have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’
22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If
you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger
of the fires of hell. 23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the
altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24
leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice
to God. 25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle
your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and
you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t
be free again until you have paid the last penny. Well, after reading this, it looks like an angry person
may fall into the category of, not only a fool, but that of a murderer too! Venting anger in the wrong way can
surely destroy another's esteem. It can effectively kill their person hood, making them unable to meet their God-given
potential. It looks like God doesn't even want our offerings if we are at odds with another person. He wants
us to be right, not only with Him, but with others also. Some of us are more prone to anger than others. It will
take a bit more discipline on our part, if we are prone to anger, to get everything settled before we go to sleep at
night. Is there someone that you need to talk to before night falls? The Lord will bless us and Satan will have
to leave us alone if we will be sure to turn an angry situation around before we go to sleep! MORNING MANNA - JULY 27, 2010 FOR THE SAKE OF UNITY Ephesians 4:25 (NLT) I am just sitting here trying to imagine what would happen if my wrist allowed the wrong message to
pass through to my hand as I type. If that happened, I doubt if the message I am trying to send you here would come
out right! My body would not be working right so there would be some malfunction somewhere along the line. Do
you think that's the way it is with the Body of Christ? As I have thought, and said, many times before, if one
part is not working right, the rest of the body suffers! 1 Corinthians 12:25-27
(AMP) 25 So that there should be no division or discord or lack of adaptation [of the parts of the body
to each other], but the members all alike should have a mutual interest in and care for one another. 26 And
if one member suffers, all the parts [share] the suffering; if one member is honored, all the members [share in] the enjoyment
of it. 27 Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each
part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function]. Ephesians 4:25 is translated this way in the King James Version: Wherefore putting away lying,
speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Lying doesn't just include
telling a bold-faced lie. What about the woman that buys that new dress and puts it in the back of the closet for
six months. The first time she wears it, and her husband says, "Is that new?", she feels okay to say,
"No, it's not new, I've had it for quite a while!" The truth might be that she knew she shouldn't
have bought it at the time she purchased it and she didn't want to risk her husband's wrath or disapproval. I've
done that! However, that is included in the word, lying. Deception is included in the word lying. If we
purposefully deceive another, we are using the same tactics the enemy used in the garden with Eve. We are either not
telling the whole truth or perhaps just saying what will please the listener. It's interesting that this can become
a pattern within us and we can begin to believe our own lies! Have you ever met anyone like that? I certainly
don't want to be that person and I'm sure you don't either. Falsity, as the Amplified version translates this portion
of scripture, is very detrimental to ourselves, as well as the whole Body of Christ. The, "old person,"
that we have been talking about lately in the Morning Manna, will deceive themselves. God has already told us that
the heart is deceitful above all things! Jeremiah 17:9-10 (KJV) 9 The heart is deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. That's why we
have to guard our hearts against deception. Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) 23 Keep
and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
It's bad enough when we deceive our own selves, but, worse yet, when we become less than transparent and deceive
someone in the Body of Christ, putting up a veil or a blockage in the flow of the whole body! Everything that is in our heart will one day come out our mouth. Matthew 12:34-36 (AMP) 34 You offspring
of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance)
of the heart the mouth speaks. In this passage, we hear Jesus talking to the Pharisees. He's not
happy with them because they don't walk their talk. They, for the most part, are living a lie. We don't want
to be in that crowd! But, here is how Jesus compares the good person and the evil person. 35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out
of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. If the good man flings forth good things,
that obviously does not include deception or lies! One day we will all have to give account for every inoperative
or nonworking word we speak. A lie will not qualify for something that works in the Kingdom of God. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative,
nonworking) word they speak. So, for our own good, and for the good of the Body, we need to encourage
one another to speak the truth at all times. We belong to Jesus, who is the Truth, so deception and falsehood are totally
opposed to the One we claim to follow! All through the Bible, God lets us know that truth is to be spoken. Zechariah 8:16-17 (KJV) 16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak
ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: 17
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these
are things that I hate, saith the LORD. The Lord hates lies! And, no wonder! It brings
division, strife, and dis-unity to His children! Colossians 3:9-11 (KJV) 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with
his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free:
but Christ is all, and in all. All of us believers are in this Body together. We can either
be a healthy part of the Body and help the Body to function correctly. Or, we can fail to put off the deception
and lying that we might have done before we were made a part of the Body. It's not always easy to tell the truth!
Some people are put off by the truth, especially if it hurts. Just telling the truth can be dangerous and
even hurtful. But, since most of us love our bodies and would do nothing to not purposefully hurt them, so also
ought we to love the Body of Christ enough to tell the truth in love! Ephesians 4:15-16
(KJV) 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according
to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Wonder of wonders! When we stop all lies and deception and tell the truth in love, we will begin to grow
up into Christ! We will begin to actually look like the One we follow and be effective in making Him known to the
world! MORNING MANNA - JULY 26, 2010 DOES THIS DESCRIBE YOU? Ephesians 4:24 (TLB) - Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself
with this new nature. Would
you describe yourself as a new and different person? Would you describe yourself as holy and good? Even if you
can't see it yet, that's how God describes you if you are a follower of Jesus and you have made Him the Lord of your life.
Now the enemy will try to tell you differently. He will try to drudge up your past and convince you that you can't
possibly be new, different, holy and good! Let's not forget that the enemy is a liar and He has been that before and
since his garden encounter with our sister, Eve. He tried to tell her that she was not good enough the way she was,
even though she lived in the perfect environment and had close communion with God. He tried to tell her that she was
not a new person. But, she was a new person. She was the first woman that lived on earth - new. He tried to tell
her all sorts of twisted things. Yes, some of the things he told her were true, but he was speaking out of context.
He's an expert in twisting the truth! In this case, as the Apostle, Paul, speaks to us, we see that he is saying that
we must be a new person. A person that is different than the person we used to be. Does that describe us? New? This is how Ephesians 4:24 is translated in the King James Version of the scripture. Ephesians 4:24 (KJV) 24 And that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The word, "new,"
in this verse indicates, "freshness." Are you and I new in the sense that we are a person that we are
unaccustomed to being? Are we new in the sense that we are now a person that is new and usable to God? This
has nothing to do with our age but it does have to do with our form and the quality of our lives. When we receive Jesus,
our spirit is made brand new. A new character begins to form in us and continues to form in us as we go through
the events of life. God is using everything in our lives, past, present and future, good and bad, to work it altogether
for good so that we will be conformed to the image of His Son. Romans 8:28-29 (NLT) 28 And
we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose
for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become
like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Do we really believe
that? Some of us have done some really awful things in our BC (before Christ) lives. Some of us have
had to endure great hardship. Some of us have been able to accomplish great things in our lives. All the good
and the bad are being dumped into God's big mixing bowl and stirred, molded and shaped into a masterpiece. A new
creature. A fresh creature. Does that describe us? It does if we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. God is not working this thing by Himself though. He tells
us, through Paul, to do something. What is that thing that we need to do? What is our part in this new creation?
We have to "put on," this new creation. What does that mean? Literally, it means that we have
to be willing to sink into this new garment! Does that describe us? As God molds, are we willing to "sink
in," to the new person He is creating? The one that looks just like Him? Have we arrayed ourselves with
this new person that God has made for us to be and wear? We do have a choice here. God can give us all things
but it's up to us to receive these things and put them to use. He doesn't want just a form of a new person.
He wants that new person that will fully buy into His will and conform to His plan! In our, "old person," state,
this was not possible, so God has offered us new clothes. Clothes that look good both from the inside and the outside!
Fresh, clean clothes. But, have we put on this garment? This new person? How can we tell? How will
other people tell? How can God tell? Well, we, others, and God, will begin to see within ourselves the following:
righteousness and true holiness! This righteousness will not be, "self-righteousness," that we sometimes find
within ourselves and others. It will be the righteousness of Christ, which will enable us to have actions and
motives like those of Christ. Our character will be changed for the better. Much better! This word was
formerly spelled, "rightwiseness." That makes lots of sense! We will be wise in our motives, thoughts,
and actions! Just like Jesus! It will be very evident that we are truly holy. Not like those who just
look holy, those who may do lots of good things but without pure motives. This will be a true, pure and transparent
holiness that reveals our Savior! Have we done our part? Have we put on this new man (new person)? Does
this describe who I am? Does this describe you? MORNING MANNA - JULY 25, 2010 RENEWAL REQUIRES REFUSAL Ephesians 4:23 (KJV) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Have you renewed your mind lately? It should be a constant process. I know, for sure,
that it is with me and I really don't like it when I am prompted to renew my mind because it has gone wandering back into
things from the past. It requires a decision on my part which is not always easy! The Apostle, Paul, had much
wise advice for us! He said that we need to forget the things of the past! Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV) 13 Brethren, I
count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Well, he did not exactly command us to do this. Instead,
he set an example for us to follow, like any true and good teacher would do. It is logical that we can't press forward
if we're clinging to the past. Both the good and bad of the past! Since renewal of our minds is a process, every
day we should be farther along in our spiritual walk than we were the day before! Can you look back on your former
days and see that you are different now than you were then? For the better? That's what happens when we continually
renew our minds in the Word of God. If you don't feel that you have made much progress when you look back for
a moment, or if you find that you have actually gone backwards, can you remember how much you have purposed to open
the Word of God and renew your mind? Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) 1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed
to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God. Our progress in walking with the Lord is partly based on our decision
to follow what He says about being transformed by the renewing of our minds! This transformation cannot occur unless
we have been studying and meditating on His Words to us. Earlier
in Ephesians 4, Paul has been admonishing us to refuse to live like those who do not believe. Yes! Refusal
is a big part of renewal! Is that what we are really doing? Refusing the ways of the world that are in opposition
to the ways and plan of God for our lives? Paul talks about the ways of unbelievers but then he says this:
Ephesians 4:20 (KJV) But ye have not so learned Christ; In other words, we should
have learned better ways from Jesus if we were really listening to, and following, Him. Have we learned the truth
that comes from Jesus by opening His Word and reading each day? Not just reading, but even hiding that Word
within ourselves? Psalm 119:11 (KJV) 11 Thy
word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. When His Word is stored
in our minds and its roots grow down deep into our hearts, we won't need a Bible in order to show someone the way
to Jesus! We will be living epistles of His salvation and goodness! How can that happen? By the constant
renewal of our minds. Our thinking is going to determine our actions. When we feast on His Word, we will constantly
be nourishing the, "new man," sometimes even surprising ourselves with a brand new set of actions! In order to show that we have really heard Jesus, and that we're really
following Him, we do have to refuse the old ways of the world and take off our old nature. Ephesians 4:22-23 (AMP) 22 Strip yourselves
of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and
becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; 23 And be constantly
renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], Most of us would willingly
take off a piece of clothing that was filthy, tattered, didn't fit right, or really made us look bad.
All the more, we should be willing to take off our former nature and begin or continue in the process of renewing our minds
so that we start to think, look, and act, more and more like our Savior. Paul talks about the refusal of worldly
ways many times in the scripture. Romans 6:6-8 (AMP) 6 We know that
our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might
be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For
when a man dies, he is freed (loosed, delivered) from [the power of] sin [among men]. 8
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, Jesus has
done the work for us. He took all of our old, "selves," to the cross and they were destroyed there.
Now, it's our turn to live in the abundant life He has purchased for us. Like Lazarus had to get the grave clothes
off after Jesus raised him from the dead, we have to encourage one another to take off our former nature. No more wearing
stinky grave clothes that smell of death! We are new creatures in the process of becoming more and more like Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17 Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Now,
we have a choice. We can refuse to renew by not throwing away our old ways and becoming new, as we let God's
Word transform us. Or, we can refuse and renew by refusing our old thoughts and ways,
by refusing to walk and think like the world, letting God's thoughts constantly renew our minds. Which one of
these things are you and I doing as we live out each of our days? MORNING MANNA - JULY 24, 2010 Ephesians 4:19 (KJV) ARE WE WITHOUT A SENSE OF SHAME? Have you noticed that the word, "shame," is not really a popular word in today's culture?
Most people want to do exactly what they want to do without regard to God's principles. Modern psychology pretty much
tells us not to feel shameful. I totally agree! However, if we're going against God's Word, there is something
to feel shameful about! When we totally disregard God's Word and have no sense of shame, we're in a dangerous place!
Please tell me if I'm wrong about the fact that the majority of the world today should feel some shame and do something
about it, but they don't. I wonder if there are areas in my own life where I should check my own sense of shame.
In Ephesians 4:19, Paul speaks of those who are past feeling. Do any of us believers find places in our lives where we get beyond feeling?
Beyond a sense of shame when we go against God's Word? How does this come about? Ephesians 4:17 (KJV) 17 This I say therefore, and
testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, According
to Paul, it happens when we don't refuse to walk a different way than those who do not believe. We insist in
walking in the vanity of our own mind! I'm going to paint this word picture for myself (and for you) once again,
even though it is really disgusting. If we walk in our own ways, we walk in the vanity of our own minds. We end
up without purpose and not useable. We have a sense of wandering and we open ourselves to all sorts of false teaching
and even awful sin. We end up morally depraved. Taking this word down to its root, we find that we
are empty, profitless, idol and vain. Ouch! God doesn't do this to us. We do it to ourselves! Ephesians 4:18 (KJV) 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the
life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Why would
anyone choose to do something like that to themselves? Do we ever refuse to open our eyes? I mean the
eyes of our hearts. As the saying goes, "If you don't use it, you lose it." We can become blind
in our heart by not opening our heart's eyes to God's Word and His ways! We might think we're pretty smart, but, in
actuality, we become ignorant! Blind! Not of any use! Shameful but not realizing it! Paul speaks of this same principle in Romans 1. He shows the downward spiral of those who do not acknowledge God and then, in a process, become totally
morally depraved. It's a very slippery slope! There was a time in my life that I prayed and I thought I was
right but I was doing shameful things! Praise the Lord, He opened my eyes to this error and has had me in a process
of regeneration for years, slowly giving me back my heart's vision. I certainly don't recommend this road in life!
No! It is better to make the choice to realize that there are some things that are shameful. God gives
us a choice. We can think, those things, watch those things, and do those things. But, the final result will
be that we end up with the understanding of our hearts darkened. Have you ever met anyone like that? They may
say thy are a Christian but their actions don't add up. Dangerous. I know! Been there, done that!
As one who has received understanding in our hearts from the Lord, it is our job to see if we can restore these that are
on their way down because they feel no shame about the things they are doing that displease the Lord. Galatians 6:1 (AMP) 1 BRETHREN, IF any person
is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit]
should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an
attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also. Just because we may have the understanding
of our own hearts enlightened, we must remember that it is only by the grace of God that we do not walk in the vanity of
our minds. Yes, we have made the choice to follow him, but we all still have our souls calling us, from time to
time, to shameful things. As they say, and rightly so, when we see someone walking in the wrong direction, even
without any feeling of same, "There, but for the grace of God, go I." I didn't know this until I looked up the word that the New Living Translation names as, "shame,"
and the KJV translates as, "being past feeling," actually means to become apathetic. In other words,
we stop feeling pain when we walk on the rocks of sin, we become callous and insensible to shame! The very sad thing
is that we do have a choice. As I mentioned in an earlier, "Morning Manna," there is scientific proof that
we actually have a physiological place in our brain that allows us free will. We can think what we will, but if we
feed the wrong thoughts, they will become permanently implanted in our brain. Scripture says that people who have no
sense of shame do it to themselves. How God must grieve at our wrong choices! But, but, He is always waiting
to extend grace when we turn to Him in repentance. He's not willing that any of us should slide down that slippery
slope of sin until we are totally apathetic and ignorant and don't even know it! 2 Peter 3:9-14 (NLT)
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for
your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord
will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves
will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything
around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to
the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the
flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with
God’s righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen,
make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. We have
a choice as to live in repentance and encourage one another to stay away from being lascivious (having filthy behavior,
uncontrolled speaking, and disregarding decency). We have a choice to live in repentance and encourage one another
to live pure lives, or not. We have a choice to live in repentance and encourage one another to stay away from
greediness (which includes fraud and extortion). Let us not be past feeling and ignore the fact that some things
are shameful. But, if we are in Christ and truly following Him, we can rejoice in the fact that He took all
of our shame upon Him and forgiveness is available to anyone who will choose it! Hebrews
12:2 (NLT) 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside
God’s throne. Yes! All of our shame was carried by Jesus to the cross. Let's determine
to live in thankfulness and repentance, knowing that we can receive understanding in our minds and live out God's Word
instead of being like those who love darkness more than light and are not willing to have their heart's enlightened
by His Light. While we are living in the Light, let's try to let it shine on others so that no one will have a
darkened mind and heart, but that all around us will come to repentance! MORNING MANNA - JULY 23, 2010 WITH WHAT IS YOUR MIND FILLED? Ephesians 4:18 (KJV) 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Many years ago, I wanted to see what it would be like to be blind; so I walked around with my eyes closed
in my bedroom and into the dressing room and bathroom to see if I could function. It's not that easy! I'm glad
I did not try to descend the stairs just outside my bedroom door! It's not great to walk in blindness. I have
great compassion for those who have never had, or have lost, their physical sight. Because I have problems with
my eyes, I can relate somewhat, but not totally. But, worse than physical blindness is spiritual blindness.
Or, as the King James Version translates it, having the understanding of your mind being darkened. Having blindness
of heart. Yesterday, I mentioned that all thoughts are either fear or faith based. Fearful thoughts are full
of darkness. Faith-filled thoughts (that is faith in the one true God) are full of The Light! The great
thing is that we have the choice of which thoughts we will think! According to the original meaning of the word, "understanding,"
if our understanding is darkened we will be incapable of deep thought. Things we should be able to see and understand
will be obscured. This is what happens when we deliberately choose to think thoughts of fear instead of faith.
When we fail to constantly renew our minds in God's Word. God
is not a dictator. He is a loving and compassionate Lord but He will not put up with stubbornness forever. He
does not have to punish us. We can bring on punishment ourselves by thinking these wrong thoughts which will eventually
come through in wrong actions! The Apostle, Paul, in Ephesians 4 is urging us not to walk as those who do not believe in Christ. We are not to walk in the vanity
of our minds. If you want to see that ugly picture, go back to yesterday's, "Morning Manna." When we
insist on the wrong thoughts and follow the vanity of our own minds, we become alienated from the life of God. Let
me say one thing here. There is no real life without God. He is the life giver. It is only because
of Him that you and I can sit here and read this today. That we have another breath. That we have the eyesight
to read. That we have any life at all. Acts 17:28 (KJV) 28 For in him we
live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. But,
if we walk in the vanity of our minds, we alienate ourselves from God. Being alienated from God means that we are
far from Him, estranged, and a non-participator with Him. Pretty scary! Probably thinking that we are wise
and intellectual (or perhaps just through ignoring God because we're distracted by other things), the alienation takes place.
God will not force us to acknowledge or worship Him. At least not just yet but there is coming a day when everyone
will be forced to do that, even those who have ignored God. Romans 14:11 (AMP) 11 For
it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge
Him to His honor and to His praise]. Why not do it today, by deliberate choice? 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT) 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I
heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of
salvation. Why choose to be dead in sin and the vanity of our minds when the Life-Giver offers
us abundant life? John 10:10 (NLT) So! What are our hearts filled with? Faith or fear?
Darkness or Light? It's our choice. The New Living Translation states it this way: Ephesians 4:18 (NLT) 18 Their minds are full
of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against
him. From all that I can glean out of these few scriptures in Ephesians 4, you and I have a choice as to what we will fill our hearts with! Jesus has promised to shed His
Light within our hearts. How does He do that? With His love and by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 (KJV) 5 And hope maketh
not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Praise God, His love and His light are in you and me if we have chosen to walk with Him and keep our thoughts directed
in His direction! Do we want to be what Jesus said we are? The light of the world? We can't give what we
don't have so, if our hearts are filled with darkness, we can't be the light of the world and so many others will go astray,
especially if we are claiming the name of Christ and walking in the darkness at the same time. Jesus gave his disciples
a clue. He told them to ignore such people. Matthew 15:13-14 (NLT) 13 Jesus
replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so
ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a
ditch.” The disciples knew to ignore such people. However, the world out there doesn't
know who it ignore. That is evidenced every night in the news! Somebody is listening to what you and I say and
then they are watching what we do. Because our hearts and understanding are enlightened with the Light of the world,
will those around us be drawn to His Kingdom? Or, because we are saying one thing and doing another, will they (whose
minds are already darkened) continue to walk in confusion and ignorance? What fills our hearts today? May it
be that the Light of the world shines forth from each one of us as we go about our daily business. Just think how much
brighter the world would be if only those of us reading this would let our light pour from our hearts, taking the risk of
letting it shine on everybody with whom we come in contact! Is it time to give it a try? MORNING MANNA - JULY 22, 2010 HOW IS YOUR WALK? Ephesians 4:17 (KJV) 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles
walk, in the vanity of their mind, How and where are you walking today? We know, from scripture that we are to walk in a certain way,
which will be pleasing to God and demonstrate to those around us that we are His people. So, the Apostle, Paul, says
to us that the Lord does not want us to walk in certain ways. That is, He does not want us to follow after or
be occupied with things that occupy the minds of those who have not experienced the salvation of Christ.
So, what is your mind occupied with this morning? We have a choice as to what we will occupy our minds with and,
what we occupy our minds with will determine how we walk! Wow! I just realized that I cannot think about going
shopping while writing the Morning Manna! Great news! I have chosen to think about this and not that!
You can do it too. There is a scientist, Dr. Caroline Leaf, who explains that we actually have a physical part
in our brain that God has given us where, when a thought comes into our mind, we have free will to receive it or discard
it! What are you and I doing in that little God-placed and given center of our brain about how we think?
How and what we think about will determine what we are occupied with. According to Dr. Leaf, we have four days to change
a thought when it comes in and in twenty-one days, we can change a whole thought pattern! Paul is telling us not to have set thought patterns, and consequently walk like, people who have not received
Christ, had their minds renewed by His Word, and walk in the calling and gift that God has given them! It's
pretty easy to get caught in this type of thinking and walking today because it seems that the voices and the draw of this
world is much louder and stronger than that of Christ. However, there is nothing more powerful than someone who has
received Christ, renewed their mind in His Word, walks in the gift and calling God has placed on them, and is accompanied
by the power of the Holy Spirit! These people can do all things, as Christ strengthens them to walk in the right way
and be occupied with the right things! Here is what the New Living Translation says about those who walk outside of
Christ and His Way. Ephesians 4:17 (NLT) 17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as
the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. I don't know about you, but I don't want to walk
around confused all the time. I've been there, done that, still do it sometimes, but sure don't want to. God
doesn't want that for us either. Thoughts that go unchecked create chaos in our brain. This is something that
Dr. Leaf writes about in her book, "Who Switched Off My Brain?". Because God always equips us, somehow,
to do what He has asked us to do, I am excited about the fact that He has equipped our brains with certain centers that
allow us to decide what to think and how long to think it, either creating toxic formations in our brain or creating
good healthy formations! Paul says that we need to create those good healthy connections to be able to walk the right
way on this earth. God has given us a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) 7 For
God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a
spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. Yes!
God has given us a sound mind but it is our choice to walk in it or not! We are not robots. We're made
for relationship, by choice! So, Paul is telling us to choose
not to walk in the vanity of our minds like those who have not received Christ. Have you ever met anyone who
says they belong to Christ but walk just like the world walks? We all do that to some extent and, for some, who are
infants in Christ, we need to help them along to walk in the right way. The best way to help is to walk the right
way ourselves and take them on the walk with us so they can see how to do it, rather than trying to beat them over the head
with it. Now, in this modern age, science can help us to prove that God has not asked us to do anything that He has
not equipped us to do. In that little place in our brain where free-will is given, we can make the choice about
which things we will be occupied with and which things we will discard! Dr. Leaf also explains that all thoughts in
our brain are either fear or faith based. Now, we know that faith pleases God. Hebrews 11:6 (AMP) 6 But
without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily]
believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. So,
spiritually, we should choose only thoughts of faith and none of fear. Even science and anatomy prove this conclusion!
Is that exciting or what! Our walk, and our actions, will be a product of what thoughts we choose to take in and whether
we choose to think thoughts of faith or thoughts of fear. God wants you and me to make the right choice! He gives
us the spiritual power and the physical anatomy to do it! The choice we make will determine whether or not we walk
in the vanity of those who have not received Christ. Do you want to know what vanity means, as Paul describes how we
are not to walk? I thought I wanted to know so I looked up the Greek word. Now, I'm not so sure I really wanted
to know. It's not very pretty, but thank God, we have a choice! Vanity, according to Strong's Dictionary means,
"inutility, transientness, and moral depravity." It is not God's will that we should behave like that! He tells
us not to. But, He leaves the choice to us. What will it be? I certainly do not want to be caught walking
in the vanity of my mind. I want my mind to be utilized for God's purposes and pleasure. I don't want to
be transient, never focusing on what God wants. I, for sure, do not want to be caught in moral depravity (which I
believe goes far beyond sexual depravity and includes such things as pride, greed, bitterness, etc.). That being
said, let me say that I do fall from time to time into one or another of these things because I have not made a clear and
on-purpose choice to only think faith thoughts and walk in them. Walking along a fear-based path will always lead
to a fall because there are rocks of sin along the way that will make us stumble over and over again. Walking along
a faith-based path will lead us closer and closer to and into the purposes of God for our lives; and these purposes will
never disappoint us. They will be more than we can ask or believe (Ephesians 3:20) and they will be good. (Jeremiah 29:11) Not only that, His goodness and mercy will follow us all of our lives! (Psalm 23:6) How we walk is our choice. Making the right choices along the way will make our paths straight and level! MORNING MANNA - JULY 21, 2010 STOP BEING TOSSED! Ephesians 4:14 (KJV) 14 That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; Have you ever been an a quandary? Are you ever like the character, Tevia, in "Fiddler on the
Roof," when he was talking to God and saying, "God, on the one hand, but then on the other hand........."
Why do we sometimes get like that? We become tossed like a sail boat adrift on a rough ocean. That's not the
way God wants us to live. What He would like in our lives is that we live in order. That we operate in whatever
gift He has given us to help complete His Body. No. The Lord doesn't want His children to be tossed
to and fro. To be confused as to which teachings are really true. To be deceived by others.
It's not His will that we be immature, childish, simple-minded, or a "minor," in the Spirit. Being tossed
to and fro will cause us to fluctuate in our beliefs. We may stray from the One who says, "I am the
way, the truth, and the life." It is not God's will that we should be carried around to different doctrines. We
need to be rooted and grounded in Jesus! We need to stay fixed on the Rock of our salvation, immovable, and steadfast.
Do you ever feel like you're being carried around, drifting and even being stuck in a raging sea of doubt? That's
why Paul writes that we should not be infants in the faith. It is only ye staying in His Word and staying connected
to other rooted and grounded believers that we can be mature in Christ and discern the difference between true and false
teaching. Yes, Satan is working through people who say that they are of God, but they are really wolves
in sheep's clothing. They do not teach according to the scripture. They are crafty and they are just waiting
to try to deceive one of God's chosen ones. We are told by the Lord not to be children any more. In other
words, "grow up." What does it mean
to grow up, spiritually? Ephesians 4:15 (KJV) But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: For
one thing, we need to begin speaking the truth of God's Word to ourselves and to others. We don't need to speak the
Word in condemnation like we see that Job's friends did. They spoke what was right but not at the right time or in
the right place and they spoke it in order to put Job down instead of build him up. Job 2:11 (KJV) Telling the truth in love helps us stick together properly, each supplying what the other needs according to our
spiritual gifts! This is how it's stated in the New Living Translation Ephesians
4:16 (NLT) 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it
helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. We all know
what happens when we don't take care of our physical bodies. They fall apart. If we are too hard on one part
or another, it begins to wear out and the rest of our parts have to work harder at things they were not meant to do in order
to compensate for the damage to the injured or worn out part! Just think of that in the Body of Christ! Each
one of us is a part. Are we broken or weakened to the point that we can't do our jobs? Then, the rest of the
body will suffer. It will force the Body to focus on itself rather than doing the will of God in the world!
God wants us to work closely together building ourselves up just like a body-builder would build himself or herself
up. The only difference is that they use weights and we count on love. God is love. So, we first
have to look to God for the love that will create unity and proper function. It is God who fits the whole body together
perfectly. Maybe He has placed you as a wrist and you want to be a foot. You're not going to function very
well and neither is the rest of the body if you insist on acting like a wrist. Aren't you glad to have each working
part of your physical body in just the right place? We usually try to keep it all looking good and working right. All
the more, we should work together to see the Body of Christ work properly. We can't do that if we act
like children, always being tossed around with all the new spiritual ideas that come down the pike. We've got
to grow up! Grow up in Christ! We've got to know and speak the truth, not to put each other down but because we
love one another enough to stick together as a Body, doing what we're called to do! Babies are cute but a fifty
year old person that acts like an infant is not pretty at all! Infants are totally dependent on someone else to carry
them around, but watch out when they start walking! Then they are less apt to want to be picked up and carried because
they have grown out of that stage! Don't be tossed and carried by every wind of doctrine. Let's grow up in Christ! MORNING MANNA - JULY 20, 2010 WHAT IS YOUR GIFT? Ephesians 4:11 (KJV) And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers; Because a body cannot function without working
parts, the Lord has given all of us gifts. This is so that the Body of Christ functions properly and is built up and
equipped to do His work. In case we think that God has finished with giving gifts to His church, all we have to
do is look here: Ephesians 4:13 (KJV) 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
God will continue to supply these gifts as long as necessary to perfect the church, making her mature.
This is how the New Living Translation puts it: 13 This will continue until we all come to such
unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete
standard of Christ. I think we have a ways to go, don't you? There is an underlying theme of unity throughout scripture. Even though we all have different gifts,
unity is the final goal. We do not lose our individuality in unity, rather our individuality is more defined and recognized.
Have you ever mistook your finger for your toe or your elbow for your spine? No! Because your body is working
well and each part is well-defined. But, if you were to take one part away or, if one part became debilitated, your
whole body would suffer. That's the way it is with the Body of Christ. Each of us is important and each is called
to do something and equipped with a gift. Some of
us may be apostles. What is that? Literally, it is, "one sent forth." It is used to describe
the Lord, Himself, in His relationship with His Father. Hebrews 3:1 (KJV) 1 Wherefore,
holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
It is also used to describe the twelve disciples originally chosen by Jesus. Then, it is used again
to describe Paul, who even though he was not with the original twelve, was commissioned by the Lord later. It
is used in Acts to describe Barnabas and some others in the New Testament. Strong's Dictionary describes an apostle
as a delegate and, specifically, an ambassador of the Gospel - a commissioner of Christ (with miraculous powers).
Now, what is a prophet? Strong's describes it as a foreteller or an inspired speaker. By extension, it means,
"poet." Vine's defines it as, "one who speaks forth or openly." Someone who proclaims a divine
message. What about evangelists? Strong's simply defines this as, "a preacher of the gospel."
Someone who announces the Good News. Vine's includes missionaries in this category. There was an evangelist
spoken of in Acts. His name was Philip. Next, some have the gift of pastor and some teacher. The definition
of a pastor is, "shepherd." Can you imagine leading dumb sheep? I can imagine that it might often be
a thankless job with not many earthly benefits but many eternal rewards! And what might be a teacher? This
is a, "doctor," in the sense that this person teaches doctrine and instruction. So, where do we all
fit in here? I just took an on-line test for spiritual gifts. You can go on-line and find free tests, such as
I did. But, the best thing to do first is to simply ask God. He's the One who made us and He's the only
One who knows for sure where we fit into His Body and how we are to function. All of us have the same basic
function and that is to build up the whole Body more and more until it functions perfectly under the leadership of the Head,
which is Jesus. Ephesians 4:12 (NLT) 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his
work and build up the church, the body of Christ. If you have never considered that God has given each
of us a gift to benefit one another, why not ask God now what yours is? You might get counsel from your Bible-believing
church or pastor. Many churches give an evaluation of spiritual gifts. Above all, know that God has given
you a gift and begin to ask Him to show it to you, if you don't already know what it is. If you know what that gift
is, do it with all your heart so that the rest of the Body will begin to function as a healthy, whole, holy Body! MORNING MANNA - JULY 19, 2010 GRACE - WE'VE ALL BEEN GIVEN SOME Ephesians 4:7 (KJV) 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure
of the gift of Christ. Grace!
We have all been given grace, even grace in abundance. It is in proportion to the measure of Christ's gift, which is
rich and bounteous. Grace is also defined as divine influence upon our heart. Paul tells me in Ephesians that
I have been given an abundance of divine influence on my heart. I notice it says, influence. It doesn't
say that I have to receive it, only that the influence of God is there ready to work in my heart, if I
will receive it. Wow! Grace is given to every one of us! In abundance! Have we received it all?
Every day, I see and experience more of God's grace in my life and heart. Because we are given this grace out
of the abundance of Christ, as a gift, we ought to, maybe, be more thankful for every time we realize that grace is
working in our hearts and lives! This grace that we each have been given is also totally free and unmerited.
There is nothing we can do to buy it or to earn it. But, we do have to receive it in order to have a relationship
with our Father. We have to realize that, in our natural state, we are sinners and that it is only by this unmerited
favor, or grace, that we can be brought back into the family of God and become useful family members, receiving all
the abundant blessings that come with such position! Paul
goes on to say that Jesus led captives captive when He ascended to Heaven. That is, He, according to
Vincent's Studies, led His enemies captive (Satan, sin, and death). Several commentaries link this activity to what
is mentioned in Colossians 2:15: Colossians 2:15 (NLT) 15 In this way,
he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. In
Colossians 2:14, it says that Jesus canceled the record of charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross
(NLT). Grace caused you and me to have the charges of sin against us dropped (if we have received His grace through
Jesus). It also was the weapon that disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities and shamed them publicly! There
is nothing that they can now bring against a believer! They are disarmed so that they cannot force condemnation on
us any longer! Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) 1 So
now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because
you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Grace has
given us freedom while it allowed Jesus to take as His captives sin, death and Satan (with all of
his followers)! When Jesus got the evil powers taken care
of, He gave gifts to men and women. Matthew Henry says that every believer is given some gift of grace. It is
not for us only, but so that we can be of mutual help to one another as a family in Christ. Ephesians 4:8 (KJV) 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men. There is no greater gift that Jesus could give to us believers
than the gift of His Spirit! And He has poured this gift upon all who will receive Him! He did it through
the Apostle, Peter, and He is still pouring today! Acts 2:33 (NLT) 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest
honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon
us, just as you see and hear today. Is His Spirit flowing out of us too so that others can receive?
Jesus has ascended to Heaven where He sits once again at the right hand of our Father. He is pouring
out gifts upon us who are ready to receive them. But, before He ascended, He descended. Ephesians 4:9 (KJV) 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended
first into the lower parts of the earth? Why did He have to do that? Ephesians 4:9 (AMP) 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first
into the lower parts of the earth? It was so that He could fill everything in the universe with Himself!
Ephesians 4:10 (KJV) 10 He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) So! No wonder the
scripture declares that the whole earth will be filled with His glory. Numbers 14:21 (AMP) 21 But
truly as I live and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, No wonder in another
place in scripture God is declared to be over all in the heavens and the earth! 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 (NLT) 11 Yours,
O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is
yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12
Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand,
and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. Everything that you and I enjoy today
comes from God and from His grace which is poured out on us who believe! No one needs to be left out but the only way
to have the measure of grace God has provided for us is to receive it through Jesus Christ! If we are believers already, each
and every one of us has some grace. We all have some! Now, let's go share it with others! MORNING MANNA - JULY 19, 2010 ONLY ONE Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:4-6 shows me in three short verses that God is all about unity. Yet, in our world today, it's almost
like it must have been in Isaiah's day. Isaiah 53:6 (KJV) 6 All we like
sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Today, everybody, and his brother, has a different idea of how things should be. The way to God.
The way to salvation. Actually, there is only one way. And, His name is Jesus. Jeremiah explained
how we get off of the narrow way. But, just because this scripture refers to shepherds, let us not think
that it doesn't apply to us. We all shepherd someone. Whoever you are and whatever you are doing, someone is
watching you and following. That's just how sheep are. They like to follow. So much so that if one
walks off the edge of a cliff many may step over the edge following after that one. But, the shepherd is supposed
to keep the sheep from falling over the cliff! Jeremiah 50:6 (AMP) 6 My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds
have led them astray [to favorite places of idolatry] on mountains [that seduce]. They have gone from [one sin to another]
mountain to hill; they have forgotten their [own] resting-place. Who is your resting place?
Who is your Shepherd? Because men and women are fallible, ultimately we need to look to Jesus as our Shepherd.
He's the only one who will never lead us astray. Psalm 23:1 (KJV) 1 The
LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Only He can lead us in the paths of righteousness.
When the Lord is our Shepherd and we take everything we learn from those we follow on earth before Him
for review, we will not be in want, nor will we be led astray. Even those who shepherd us here on earth, such as pastors,
evangelists, and teachers are all under One. There is only One. Only one way. Only one truth. Only
one life to be desired. There is only One. Ephesians 4:5 (KJV) 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, If there
is only one Lord, how do we find Him? In His Word. If there is only one faith, where do we get it? From
His Word. Romans 10:17 (NLT) 17 So faith comes
from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. There's only one baptism. Mark 16:16 (KJV) 16 He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. In the Strong's Talking
Dictionary, "baptism," means to be, "fully wet." We, who believe, are baptized with water symbolizing
our death to sin and our resurrection with Christ in His righteousness. We are saturated with water, physically.
But, perhaps another way to look at it would be to look to His Word and be so saturated with it that we are fully clean
and pure. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT) 25 For husbands,
this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to
make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did
this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be
holy and without fault. In this context, Paul is speaking to husbands about how they should love their
wives but he is really trying to show us how Christ loves us, as His Church, as His own body, His Bride. There
are lots of pools in the world in which we can immerse ourselves and be baptized. If we choose those, we will
find ourselves unclean and tainted instead of fresh and clean! John the Baptist told those being baptized at the
time that Jesus would soon baptize them with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11 (AMP) 11 I
indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily
amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I
am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. While
water baptism is a symbol of a changed heart, baptism by the Holy Spirit is a completion of the water baptism because only
the Holy Spirit in us (and hopefully we are immersed in Him) can give us the power to live lives that show that we have
found the One Way! Now, no matter what the sign says over
the door of the building in which you or I may go for corporate worship, there is only one God. Ephesians 4:6 (AMP) 6 One God and Father of [us]
all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all. There is only
one Father. There is only one Way to the Father. His name is Jesus. John 14:6 (KJV) 6 Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Since there is only one Father
and the His Word is the standard for those who believe, there is only one way to become reconciled to Him (because
we were once dead in our sins and trespasses). That Way is through Jesus. The only Way! I am more
and more seeing that God shows how we can have the unity Jesus prayed for. John 17:11 (NRSV) 11 And now I am
no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you
have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. When Jesus was on earth, He explained that He
and the Father were one. John 10:30 (AMP) 30 I
and the Father are One. I believe that's the kind of oneness Paul is promoting here in Ephesians 4:4-6. I remember a song from a while back entitled, "Let The Walls Come Down." Right now, for practical
reasons, we worship in different places, but there is only one God, one Father, one Savior, one Way! Jesus is
pulling His Church, His body, together and I believe we will be surprised to find that when it's all complete we just
may be sitting next to someone who wasn't in our denomination or in our local church. There is only one Head,
one Shepherd, and He is leading His sheep along right now through the stony paths of this world. They are placed
all over the world. Hopefully, each of the sheep are following Him and no other! When it comes right down
to it, there's only One! Do you know Him today? As another song says, "Please don't turn Him away." MORNING MANNA - JULY 17, 2010 THE WAY TO LIVE Ephesians 4:3 3 Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace
with one another. We sure
have lots of self-help books out there on the shelves today and magazines have a myriad of articles teaching us how to live.
There are even, "life coaches." Of all of those things, some are good, if their foundation is centered on
Jesus and on the Word. Paul gave us a few words to help us know how to live. He was an excellent, "life-coach,"
in my opinion. He didn't just write or spout of a bunch of things for us to do. He wrote and preached as
he, himself, went through. He gives us things to do, and we need to do those things, but it is never by our
own power that we do them. For instance, Paul wanted us to be at peace with one another. So does Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is well able to lead us but He doesn't make it happen for us without our participation! It's
Paul's conclusion that we need to live peaceful lives with one another, led by the Holy Spirit because of all the benefits
he has told us about in the first three chapters of Ephesians, such as being: blessed, adopted, favored, redeemed,
forgiven and chosen. Ephesians 4:1-3 (TLB) 1 I beg you—I, a prisoner here in jail
for serving the Lord—to live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as
these. Our lives are to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit so that we will be acting in a way that
is worthy of having been chosen! Essentially, Paul is letting
us know that we should live in a way that is worthy of our calling. Ephesians 4:1-3 (KJV) All of
us are called to do some of the same things, such as living a life led by the Holy Spirit and living at peace with one another.
In an effort to help us see how we ought to live as called and chosen children of God, Paul says this: Ephesians 4:2 (TLB) 2 Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for
each other’s faults because of your love. Here is the translation from the King James Version
of the Bible. Ephesians 4:2 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Oops! This part isn't so easy for some of us but we are all called to do these things.
We're all called to be humble. That means, "having lowliness of mind." Do our lives show that we have
humility? We're all called to be patient with one another. Have you been out driving lately? I wonder
if we could pick out the ones who are truly followers of Christ by their driving habits? Or, have you ever let someone
elderly or feeble get in front of you in a grocery line even though you had your mind racing with your own agenda?
Are we patient with our children and with our spouses when they don't quite meet our expectations? Like I said, for
me there are a lot of, "oops," in this area. We are all called to, "put up," with one another.
That's what the word, "forbearing," means in Ephesians 4:2 (KJV). How much do we, "put up," with in those around us because our love for mankind is based on our
Father's love for mankind? Tough questions. Why look for any self-help books out there. The Apostle, Paul,
hits the nail right on the head. We are all called to love. Love so much that we are patient, peaceful
people who are willing to put up with the faults and weaknesses of others because we know that God puts up with a lot
in us, yet He still chooses us and calls us to Himself! In just three short verses, Paul has given me enough to work
on for a lifetime in the way of learning how to live in love. Do you know how to live the way God wants us to live
or do you listen to the way the world says to live? These two ways of living are worlds apart! How
many things can you pick out of these three verses in Ephesians 4:1-3 that you need a little tune-up on? If you can't think of any while you're sitting here reading this, you
will find opportunities to think of it when you are kept too long on hold on the phone, when someone cuts in front of you
in traffic, when your spouse does the very thing that irritates you most, when your children push you to the limits, when,
when, when.................... We have no excuse for not knowing how to live but do we practice what we know? MORNING MANNA - JULY 16, 2010 FOR A GOOD CAUSE Ephesians 3:14 (KJV) 14 For this cause I bow my knees
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, We really like to hear of those who will do something for a good cause, don't we? The Apostle, Paul,
was one of those people. Because (or for the good cause of) what he had been given to do for the Lord, Paul prayed
for the church in Ephesus and it came right down through the ages in scripture for you and me too! Paul gives us many
good examples in scripture and this prayer is just one of them. For the good cause of the Good News of Christ, Paul
is willing to bow his knees (perhaps sometimes on a cold, filthy prison floor, to our Father, God. Paul did this for
us. He proclaims that this family of God on earth and in heaven is named after Jesus! Aren't you glad this morning,
if you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that you are in this family named after Him? Ephesians 3:15 (KJV) 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. There's
just something about being a part of the family of God that is comforting. We feel secure. We know we are loved
with an everlasting love. That's the way our own families should be here on earth, but, alas, we sometimes have trouble.
Why not use this prayer that Paul prayed for those in Ephesus and for us and pray it for those in our biological families
who may not be where they should be? We can pray it for one another too. Everybody can use what's in the
prayer that Paul prayed for a good cause. Here's how we can pray, just like Paul,
for one another. We can ask God for strength in the inner man, in the heart of those we love (and we ought to
be praying for our enemies, as well - Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT) 43 “You have heard
the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray
for those who persecute you! Have you ever wished you could understand more?
I have. There are lots of things I don't understand, but wish I did. Well, Paul prayed in that direction for
you and me and we can do it for others too! Ephesians 3:18 (KJV) 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. The love of Christ has many dimensions. Paul
is asking that we be able to comprehend, to understand, with all believers, every dimension of the love of Jesus.
When this happens, it will surpass mere knowledge. In fact, we will be given understanding, more and more as the days
go by. We will not understand it all until we see Jesus. But, it will open the door for us and those
we pray for to be filled with all the fullness of God! Wow! That's a life-long process. Let the process
begin, because we know that God is able to do way, way more than we can ask. He said to come boldly to Him and that's
just what Paul did. That's what we should do to. There's not a thing that God cannot do. We can think as
hard as we can and we will never be able to really know just how far-reaching His power in us can be! He is able
to do ever so much more than we can ask or even think to ask! Ephesians 3:10 (KJV) 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, If we just asked these things that
Paul prayed for us, here in Ephesians, can you imagine how different the world would be? I think it is said that we
don't have things because we don't ask for them. God said that. Not just for ourselves, but for others too.
For a good cause. For the cause of Christ and the salvation of others. Of course, God will get much glory out
of answering all those prayers that we dare to ask, out of faith, believing that He can do that; and lots more!
Ephesians 3:21 (KJV) 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all
ages, world without end. Amen. For all of you who are reading this now, I stand in agreement with Paul that
you would receive all of this and more. I know it's for a good cause! Glory to God! As a very special
person in my life always says, "Have an Ephesians 3:20 day!" MORNING MANNA - JULY 15, 2010 CAN GOD USE ME? Ephesians 3:8 (NLT) 8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people,
he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. Do you, or have you ever, wondered whether God could use you,
maybe because you don't feel that gifted or maybe because you have done some pretty bad things in your life? As I
read Ephesians 3:8, I realize the none of us are deserving of being used by God for anything. Without His redeeming, transforming
power, we are useless to Him. However, like the Apostle, Paul, we, too, can now consider ourselves as the, "least
deserving," yet very, very privileged to be usable by God! Ephesians 3:7 (NLT) 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given
the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Just knowing that we are undeserving is
a very good place to start! Pride will get in the way of service to the Lord every time. 1 Peter 5:6 (AMP) 6 Therefore
humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may
exalt you, First of all, we can do the very same thing Paul
was doing as he was speaking in Ephesians, Chapter 3. We can tell others (both Jews and Gentiles) about the endless
treasures that God has been waiting to give them when they receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Messiah. Paul had lots of reasons to be proud of himself but he was literally forced to humble
himself before the Lord so he could be made usable. Acts 22:6-7 (NLT) 6 “As I was
on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
me?’ The Lord found Paul on the Damascus Road but Paul's heart had definitely been on the wrong
road! He had been gathering Christians together to persecute them and some even were killed. Paul stood idly
by while they stoned Stephen to death! Paul admits this of his own accord. Acts 22:20 (NLT) 20 And I was in complete
agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’
Does today find any of us on the wrong road? Are any walking apart from the Holy Spirit, instead of
with Him? Are there things in our lives today or in the past that we need to admit before God, of our own accord, in
order to receive His forgiveness and become useable? If we have sinned, we definitely have an advocate who will
bring forgiveness and open the way for us to be used (used again if we have once tried and fallen).
1 John 2:1-2 (KJV) 1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for
our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Maybe today is the day you
hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you. Paul was willing to
go through much hardship so that we could benefit and he didn't seem to mind at all! He wrote letters of encouragement
from dark prison floors, letting us know that we should not lose heart. He told us to rejoice always. He even
told us that we should be honored and encouraged that he was willing to endure suffering so that we could get the message
of Christ! Ephesians 3:13 (NLT) 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am
suffering for you, so you should feel honored. In the Amplified Version of the Bible it says that
we should not become despondent or lose heart through fear because we know what Paul suffered. We know what other
believers have suffered in the past too. Maybe the question is, "Are we willing to suffer for Christ or for
another, joyfully?" For me, that's a tough question because, like many in America, I am addicted to
comfort. I am really a wimp when it comes to suffering. I don't know that I would choose to do it unless the
Holy Spirit put it on my heart and gave me the strength! Somehow, in His own way, that's what God did for Paul and,
if and when, necessary, He'll do it for us too if we are keeping in step with His Spirit. God can and will use
us if we are submitted to Him but we need to want to be used. Hearing about Paul's struggles can put some fear
in our hearts as to just how God is going to use us. But, whatever it is, He will put the encouragement in
our heart that He put in Paul's heart to do His will. Paul was excited about being chosen, even chosen to suffer!
The message far outweighed the suffering in Paul's mind because he, undeserving as he was, was being used by God.
I doubt if Paul knew at the time just how influential he would be! And we don't know what God's power can and
will do through us either. We may not even know till we get to "the other side!" Ephesians 3:9-11 (NLT) 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God,
the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 10 God’s
purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities
in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out
through Christ Jesus our Lord. Not only did God use Paul to influence us, He used Paul to display His
wisdom to the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God used Paul to spread the news that His plan
was completed in Christ. Do you still wonder if and how God will use you? All we have to do is ask. God
will show us His wisdom in rich variety too. He has something for each one of us to do for Him. He's as
close as your faith will allow you to believe. Believe it. Go boldly before the Lord and just ask, "Can You
use me? What can I do for you?" Ephesians 3:12 (NLT) 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly
and confidently into God’s presence. It may be that He asks you to do little things but don't be
surprised when those little things you do every day for Him become a lasting legacy of His love and grace!
Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, told the servants at the wedding feast, "Whatever He (Jesus) tells you to do, do it."
God wants to, and can, use you and me too! MORNING MANNA - JULY 14, 2010 SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN TO ME! Ephesians 3:6 (NLT) 6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles
and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same
body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. The Apostle, Paul, had the great pleasure, privilege, and responsibility
of revealing a secret from God to those of us who are not Jewish, by physical birth. God revealed His plan for all
of us through Paul, and His plan included us! We get to share equally now in the promises of God with those Jewish
people who have received Jesus as their Messiah. In fact, we're so close that we're all in one Body - the Body of Jesus.
We all belong to Him. Now that's a good security plan! As, the song says, "When I call on Jesus, all
things are possible." And scripture confirms that! We ought to call on Him always in ever situation
but some of us only call on Him when we're in trouble..... Many people have alarm systems in their homes and cars today.
When someone tries to break in, the alarm center is notified and then they call you and you have to give them your password
and then they ask you if you are all right. It's not that way with the security system we have in God's plan.
When we call on the Father, the only, "middle-man," is Jesus. Just calling His name will show us that God
takes care of those who have become a part of His family. I know. This has happened to me more than once and
I found that Jesus doesn't ask a lot of questions, He's just right there to save and protect you! Why? Because
we are His heirs and He's going to protect what belongs to Him! Here is how it is translated in the King James Version:
6 That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in
Christ by the gospel: Sounds like a plan to me! God's plan. And, His plans are always
good! (Jeremiah 29:11) Even though Paul had the great privilege of
revealing God's long-hidden, "secret," he considered himself a prisoner of Jesus so that we could have the
benefit. Ephesians 3:1 (KJV) 1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of
Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, Now, we know how good God is and that His plans for us are for good and
not to harm us. But, think about the Apostle, Paul, for a moment. He gave his whole life so that us Gentiles
could have the knowledge that we're included in the good plans of God and heirs to everything He has promised to the
Jews. Paul considered himself to be a prisoner of Jesus Christ for us! He was a voluntary prisoner in his
spirit but this many times led him to be a real prisoner, found in a dungeon. When we look at great people of the past,
we have to wonder, "What am I doing for Jesus?" Granted, God is not going to call every one of us to be
like Paul. But, He does call us. When you're part of a family, you have your own personal chores that you
need to do (if your family is functioning properly). What has Jesus called you and me to do? It will probably
be different things, but He has called each of us to do something within the Family. Ephesians 2:10 (KJV) 10 For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Now, please don't get caught up in condemnation or go on a guilt trip because I wrote this. You cannot
decide, nor can I, what God has called us to do. So, don't just go out there and try to do good stuff, thinking that
what you are doing is pleasing to God. It may be good, but it may not be pleasing to Him because it is something
someone is called to do and not you! We have to have such a close relationship with the Lord that we keep in step with
His Spirit. He will tell us where to go and what to do if we are just listening! Isaiah 30:21 (AMP) 21 And
your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you
turn to the left. We have to walk so close to the Lord that we, not only hear Him, but we make the
turns He says to make. We have a choice. Paul chose to be a prisoner of Christ in order that we
might benefit. Are there people that might benefit if we also chose to be a prisoner of Christ? In the times before Paul, us Gentiles didn't know a thing! But, because
Paul became a prisoner of Christ, he was given the privilege of letting the, "secret," out! Ephesians 3:4 (NLT) 4 As you read what I have written,
you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not
reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. But
now, we are all allowed to know God's plan because God is good and because Paul was obedient to do what God called him to
do by the Holy Spirit! What if us believers had never been given this Good News? We would be a
sorry lot, indeed. But now! We know the plan. Now, we, too, can participate in making the Good News known
to everybody, not matter what their race, nationality, ethnicity, color, gender, etc. Have we such a grateful
heart that we will become a voluntary prisoner for Christ? That's a very serious question, and one I have to
ask myself. Oh, there are many trials and responsibilities to become a prisoner of Christ, but there are also
many blessings in store for us and only God knows what we will leave behind for future generations, just as Paul did.
There is a song that says, "And may all who come behind us find us faithful." Yes,
it has always been God's plan that the current generation should tell the future generations about Him and about His good
plans for them. Psalm 22:30-31 (NLT) 30 Our children
will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His
righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done. If we
are not telling the Good News to our children in this generation, who will tell them? Basically, what Paul was
telling us all is that we are not doomed to die! God has a plan! Psalm 102:18-20 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - JULY 13, 2010 A, "BEFORE AND AFTER," PICTURE Ephesians 2:11-22 (KJV) As usual (like we see in advertisements), the, "before," picture is pretty bad. However, this is
not an advertisement with trick photography and airbrushed people. This is for real. God put aside His
chosen people for a while so that you and I, heathens, could have a, "before and after," picture of ourselves
to remind ourselves of where we would be if it weren't for Jesus. It's also a reminder to others that they can have
the, "before and after," pictures of themselves too! God says that we should remember that once we were
without Christ. We really didn't stand a chance out there in the cold. 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: We were strangers to
God's chosen people and strangers to His covenants of promise, which are so very important to us believers! We had
no hope. That was the, "before," picture and it was pretty grim and quite ugly. However, there is an, "after," picture too and this is what we look like now. 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. We've
been brought into God's own family covered by the blood of Christ. I just thought of the fact that, when a new baby
is born, it is covered with some blood too! God re-birthed us right into His own family! Wow! He ignored
His chosen people for a time so that we could share in His love and covenants but He has not forgotten them all together.
He's trying to get them to come to Him still by making them jealous of the fact that we can now share in all that
belongs to our Father. Romans 11:13-16 (NLT) 13 I
am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have,
so I might save some of them. 15 For since their rejection meant that God
offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were
dead! Now,
we're in the, "family picture." There is nothing separating us from anyone else who will receive Jesus as
Savior. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and
hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in
his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man,
so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which
were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Now, we all can be in the "family picture" because
we all have access to the Father by His Spirit! 18 For through him
we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now, we are all in the same house built on a great
foundation of which Jesus is the cornerstone. We're secure with no reason to fear because we're living in the house
built on the Rock! 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Along with the, "before and after," picture there's good news. We have all the blessings in
the temple of the Lord, of which He is making us a part. But, there could be bad news too. It's really up to
us. Romans 11:17-21 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - JULY 12, 2010 WE WERE DEAD Ephesians 2:1-10 (KJV) 1 And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Right now,
you and I who have received Christ are blessed. We're chosen. We're adopted. We're favored. We're
redeemed. We're forgiven. That's what some of the lyrics say in the song, "Ephesians, Chapter One."
I got so excited checking out the whole of Ephesians, Chapter One, after singing the words to that song that
I went through as much as of it as I could in the last few days. Now, I've decided that, Ephesians, Chapter One was
so good, I'll just keep going on into Ephesians, Chapter Two. Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 that we would understand just who God really is and that we would know that He is in us and that He
is above all power and authority. We're covered. And, we're made whole from the inside out because Jesus lives
in us! If you are like me, you sometimes forget that this is a process. Some days just don't feel good.
It's on those days that I have to feel around for my faith. It's in here somewhere! I am blessed, chosen, adopted,
favored, redeemed and forgiven whether I feel like I am or not. God said so and He did it all. His power
is far greater than any of my feelings. He is also fully able to start and finish the work of faith He started in
me and in you. Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) 2 Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. There was
a time in the past when I walked just like the world is walking. Ephesians 2:2 (KJV) 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
I was listening quite closely to the devil (the prince of the power of the air). Right here in the, "now,"
I don't want anything more to do with that liar! He tried to make me think that I could do what the world did and have
all that the world had and then I would be happy. Not so. I remember walking into the little apartment of a
nun one day for a visit. There was one couch and one table. Nothing else. Such peace! I'm not
saying that we should not have things. I am saying that the greater part of us must be progressively Holy Spirit-led.
The junk and the clutter of our lives has to be cleaned out and we need to let in the fresh air of the Holy Spirit and take
a big breath. His peace will fill the house and He will be our focal point. Disobedience clutters up our lives
so much so that we, not only can't see Jesus, we can hardly begin to find out who we are! It blocks the knowledge
and peace of knowing we're blessed, chosen, adopted, favored, redeemed and forgiven. God did not want to leave
us where we were so He sent Jesus. We were as dead, spiritually, as Lazarus was physically. Our sins and worldly
walking had killed us instead of doing what the enemy told us it would do. John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The thief cometh
not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly. Jesus came so we could be made alive again! There will be a process and it's possible
that we will fall down a few times before we start walking with mature steps but, if we are trusting the power of Jesus to
make us fully alive and mature, He will take care of all of that. The secret is not to give up and stay down! Proverbs 24:16 (KJV) 16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Because
we have traded our sin and shame for the righteousness of Jesus, we are the ones who may fall but we will rise again if
we don't get discouraged and quit. Those who refuse the life that Jesus offers will fall and stay down (even going
down further). When we walked like we see the
world walking, we were walking in death instead of life. Did you ever behave like the world? Hopefully not, but
I think, if we are honest, all of us still buy into some worldly stuff now and then. Ephesians 2:3 If you have never received Jesus or you have fallen or you are in a painful process, look up, reach up,
and get up by the power of God. It's only by His power that we can be made fully alive! 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
No matter what you feel like today, if you have received Jesus, you are fully alive and He is doing a great
work in and through you. He is leading you into the good works He created for you to do before you even knew
about it. If you have not received Jesus, He is waiting to lift you from the pit of death and destruction and
make you alive again - really alive. We were dead. But now, by His love and power alone, we are fully alive
in Him and in the process. Remember, He never fails to complete a project so count on the fact that you are
blessed and all those other things too! By faith, trust in the fact that He has chosen and adopted you and He's
not about to give up on you or abandon you. You are no longer dead but fully alive in Christ! MORNING MANNA - JULY 11, 2010 ABOVE ALL Ephesians 1:21 (KJV) 21 Far above all principality, and power,
and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: If you have given your life to Christ, you
are in and covered by the One who is far above everything in this world. Including all of your problems and my problems.
In fact, powerful enough to solve the world's problems and He will! Yesterday, I was amazed again to be reminded of
the mighty power that He has put in us. That same power that raised Jesus from the dead. You can't get much
more powerful than that! God has shared that power with us and reminded us, through Paul's prayer for the people in
the church of Ephesus (and us), that God wants to open the eyes of our understanding to these great truths. To the
great power and authority under which we are covered and by which we operate in cooperation with the Holy Spirit! There
are lots of powerful leaders in the world today saying lots of threatening things. Lots of boastful things.
They really think they are something. Yet, none of us are really anything without Christ. Some may boast that
they will do this or that but have they forgotten that Jesus is far, far above them when it comes to power? To might?
To dominion? Jesus is far above any ruler or authority or leader. That's how the New Living Translation describes
Him in Ephesians 1:21. He's above everything and, not just in the world where we live at the moment, but in the world to come! If
we listen to the news, we can be terrorized without even enduring a physical terrorist attack. Men and women around
the world are trying to build their own kingdoms and they think they're pretty powerful. We hear about plots and plans.
But, soon, and probably very soon, the One who is above all of them will show them a thing or two! It's not going
to be pretty for those who have tried to usurp His power. Nobody's name is going to matter any more.
Only the Name of Jesus! Jesus is the King of the Kingdom
in which you and I have citizenship if we have received Him as Lord and Savior. We win, if we are following Him!
God has given Him all authority over everything! God has made Him the head of the church (not just the Baptist Church,
or the Church of God, or the Nazarene Church, or the Charismatic Church, or the Pentecostal Church, etc., etc.). All
of these will fade away as He brings His Body, The Church, together. God has given Jesus this authority so
that you and I would have a secure place in Him. It's for our benefit and the benefit of all those within His Body.
He's going to make His Body complete. What is He reminding you of today? Has He placed some faith in you that
you need to exercise to bring others to the Kingdom or display His healing power? What is your function within the
Body? It's His Name that will last and none other. Everything and everyone is going to have to bow to His Name.
Why not bow right now? Philippians 2:10-11 (KJV) 10 That at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Why
not confess His Name now so that others can be made aware of His power and authority? That's what we should be
praying. Something akin to the prayer that we find in Ephesians, Chapter One. That all of our brothers
and sisters in Him should understand exactly who He is and operate fully under His power and authority. That all
of our brothers and sisters in Him should realize that He deserves all the honor and glory in our lives and in whatever
we do or have done for Him. There isn't a dictator in this world that can withstand the coming King. He truly
is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! 1 Timothy 6:15 (NLT) 15 For at just the right time Christ will
be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. That's
what Paul was praying that we would see, and know, now. The world, as a whole, does not see this
yet. But, by faith, we, not only see, we can understand His power and authority. We not
only see and understand it, we can operate in it so that the world will get a glimpse of this, soon to be revealed King,
and perhaps some will come to Him before it's too late! Ephesians 1:22 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head
over all things for the benefit of the church. What Paul is praying for us and what we should pray for
others is that everyone should know that God has put everything under the authority of Jesus and made Him the head of all
things. Whether we're a pastor, evangelist, church member, or whatever, the only authority we have is in Christ.
It's His Body and His Church. All of our churches and ministries are wonderful as long as we remember
that Christ is the head and what we do must benefit the whole Body of Christ. When the eyes of our understanding are
opened by the Holy Spirit, unity will begin to form in the church. Ephesians 1:23 23 And the church is
his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. We will
begin to understand that no one person and no one ministry has to all together completely. We are all a part of
something bigger, the Body of Christ, of which He is the head and no one else. We will all begin to work together
for the good of the whole Body and those who are without will be won to Christ because they see how lovingly and powerfully
He works through each part of His Body. It was, and is, the desire of Jesus who has all power over everything
now and forever that His Body (which is us) should be in unity with Him and with each other. John 17:21 (NLT) 21 I pray
that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in
us so that the world will believe you sent me. When we pray for each other
that we will all grow in the knowledge and understanding of all that God is, we will begin to come into unity under Him through
Jesus. What are you praying for and for whom are you praying? I'm so glad that, even though I know I have only
skimmed the surface of the depths of Paul's prayer in Ephesians, Chapter One, I have learned more of His power and authority
and more of His Lordship over all. That's what I want for those around me too, my family and my friends. Really,
for everyone who will believe. While we all have specific needs, the contents of this complete prayer, when answered,
will help us to know, on a deeper level, how to get through trials and troubles of this life and give us hope for the next.
It will give us confidence that Jesus truly is Lord over all and that nothing at all can change the fact that
He is in control and always will be. Since we are in Him and He in us, all of this is ours now and forever.
Lord, help us to understand this more and more as we look to You to have our spiritual eyes opened wider and wider! MORNING MANNA - JULY 10, 2010 IT'S HIS POWER Ephesians 1:19-20 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of
his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which
he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Well, Paul goes on to pray for those in the
church in Ephesus and for us. We should also go on praying for the believers in our lives (and of course for those
who have not yet believed). However, sometimes we, especially I, tend to give God advice about what others need specifically.
While I do think that the Holy Spirit will lead us to pray something for someone that is specific in nature, I believe He
wants us to pray like Paul prayed - for the deep things. Paul prayed that we would know the overwhelming magnitude
of the dynamite power of God toward us who believe! This dynamite power is that same power that raised Jesus from
the dead. Is that how we pray for those believers around us? That they might know that God has flung dynamite
power in their direction that is so powerful that nothing can stand against it? Do we believe that for ourselves?
If we believe it for ourselves and pray it for others, we can, not just get through life, but get through with a, "bang."
The world around us will be moved too as all of the dynamite power explosions of our prayers and actions rock and shake
things around us - for the good. And, for the glory of God. God's
mighty power still works and it will work wonders through us if we will have the faith to know and believe the exceeding
greatness of it. To know that that greatness is dwelling in us just waiting for an opportunity to make a difference
in this world. We, in our own strength cannot change much of anything (unless, of course, to make a mess of things).
But, when we know God's power and have the faith to let it be released through us, miracles will happen. People
will be healed. Lives will be changed. Relationships will be restored. All the yucky stuff will be blown
up by God's power and He will step in and make everything new! 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (KJV)17 Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry
of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Yes! God's power within us has the potential to help us in the ministry of reconciliation so that he can reconcile
the world back to Himself. Some of us know what it is not to have our children around us or to have them
wandering rebelliously. Such grief! God surely must be grieved at the state of the world today but you and I
can pray for each other and others that His power will work in and through us to make us ministers with Him in reconciling
His children back to Him. Oh, how it must please God when we are courageous enough to let some of that dynamite
power go! And, lest we should think that we're so good when we do that, we are nothing. We can do nothing of
ourselves but God's Spirit working through us will set off the fuse that will change everything - including us! Zechariah 4:6 (NLT) 6 Then
he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says
the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Oh,
how God wants us to recognize the fact that we have His power (which is really so much greater than dynamite) living
in us. The power to move mountains if we will believe and use it. Matthew 21:20-22 (KJV) 20 And when the disciples
saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21 Jesus
answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is
done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall
be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing,
ye shall receive. Moving a mountain requires quite a bit of dynamite so, we must remember that all of
that is dwelling in us and seek to use it at the discretion of the Holy Spirit. We must pray for one another and encourage
one another to know that power that God has put in them and to be willing to use it for God's glory. This is what God
told Zerubbabel. Zechariah 4:7 (NLT) 7 Nothing,
not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel
sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’”
Are we seeing mountains that keep us and others from where God would like them to be becoming level plains
because we are believing in and using the power God has put into us? Are we praying for others that they will use the
power. Are we linking our power and faith together and making a difference in this world to the glory of the Lord.
If not, we need to give it some thought. What has God called you to do? I'm realizing that it may just be the
little things that will make the biggest difference. God has given you His power. Go, use it wisely, be an ambassador
for Him in what He has called you to do. Don't be discouraged because His power will remain the same forever!
Isn't it awesome that He has given it to us!! MORNING MANNA - JULY 9, 2010 HOW ARE YOUR EYES?
Ephesians 1:18 18 The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints, Yesterday, I started thinking about who I pray for and began to think of how important it is that we pray
for other believers to have more and more of the spirit of wisdom and revelation from our Lord. Today, I am thinking
more about how God wants us to pray for others. I'm still looking at the prayer that Paul prayed for the church in
Ephesus and, of course, it's for us too since God saw fit to include it in the Holy Scripture! Jesus is concerned about
our eyes and the eyes of other believers. He proved that, in the physical, when He healed the physical eyes of people
as He went about doing good. There was a particular blind man in scripture, the eyes of whom Jesus opened.
Here is his statement. John 9:25 (KJV) 25 He answered
and said, Whether he (Jesus) be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. Was blind but
now I see. Just think how hard it would be to get around in life if we could not see. I have had
trouble with my eyes before and it is a great hindrance. Jesus healed the physical eyes of the man mentioned above
but He healed the spiritual eyes of the writer of, Amazing Grace. How are your eyes today? Paul
has prayed that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened. How can that happen? It can only happen
when we invite the Light of the world into our hearts and let Him light up our understanding. No more walking around
like blind people in the dark! We can walk in understanding. But, we do have a part in this healing as we always have a part in the work of the Lord. We have to choose
to renew our minds by His Word and cast out the worldly thoughts and reasoning by which we once tried to walk, tripping
along the way! Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2 And be not conformed
to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God. To renew our minds in God's Word is not always easy. As one of
my friends has said, "I have lived a 'soulish' (worldly way of thinking) way of life for a long time."
The Lord is waiting today to open the eyes of our spiritual (as opposed to our soul) eyes through the renewal of our minds
(our soul, will, emotions, feelings, reasonings). Both soul and spirit must agree! When the eyes of our understanding
are opened by the Lord and His Word these two that are often opposed to each other will disagree until our soul comes into
line with our opened spiritual eyes of understanding. When they agree, we will feel much better and make much better
decisions in life. Even our bodies will have to come in line when spirit and soul agree! I'm not saying
that I'm all that today but I want to be more of, "that," every day. I also want that for those I love and
for every believer in Christ. We can be a believer and still be oppressed by feelings and circumstances because we
have not received the gift of God. The opening of the eyes of our understanding. Proverbs 4:7 (KJV) 7 Wisdom
is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. The writer
of Proverbs has told us to get understanding and God has promised to open the eyes of our understanding, if we will ask
for it! Not just for ourselves but for all of His children! Because we are chosen and taken into the family of
God, we have a rich inheritance but we won't see it unless we have wide open eyes of understanding! It's a glorious
inheritance! Do we understand it? Maybe not all of it now. It's too big to get all at once but, as God
opens the eyes of our understanding day by day, we will be more and more hopeful and more and more confident in what He has
given us, what He has done for us and what He wants us to do for others. Today, will you pray for others that the
eyes of their understanding will be opened to these glorious truths of God. Moreover, if you are having trouble seeing,
receive Paul's prayer down through the ages that your own eyes of understanding will be opened and then open your Bible
and participate in that healing as you renew your mind with Jesus! He wants us to have open and clear vision and understanding so we can lead a life of freedom and the ability to
think, not only of ourselves and our own problems, but about others too. To pray for them, not just for their specific
problems, but that they eyes of their understanding will be opened. After all, if you can see, you're much more likely
to be able to find a solution to your problems! God wants our eyes of understanding to be opened so that we can know
what is the hope of His calling. He wants us to remember that He has given us a confident hope. He has called
us to Himself. Chosen us. John 15:16-17 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - JULY 8, 2010 WHO DO YOU PRAY FOR? Ephesians 1:15-16 (KJV) 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Do we stop to give thanks for those believers that God has placed in our lives? After all, it is
those very people that encourage us along the way! I'm so thankful that many people have offered prayers for me to
our Lord! They have taken the time to make mention of me - and God has heard and answered! Because
we have so many blessings from God, Paul prays for us. It's easy to forget, from time to time, that we are blessed,
chosen, adopted, redeemed and forgiven. It's easy, with all that the world hurls at us to forget that God has
a good plan for our lives and that His plans never fail. Paul had heart for the faith and love in the people in
the church of Ephesus. He kept them in his prayers and, his prayers, through the scripture, have gone to God for us
down through the ages. OK, let's be like Paul and remember
to pray for those we know are faithful believers. No doubt, they have their trials too! James 5:16 (KJV) 16 Confess your faults
one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much. There's not a one of us believers that is perfect yet. We all need the prayers of righteous
people and we all need a healing touch from Jesus in some area of our lives. Will we be that righteous one (righteous
in Jesus, of course, and nothing on our own) who will pray for others? We need to remember one another in prayer
so that we will remember, even through our trials, that God says that we're blessed and all those other things too.
If He says it, it has to be true! Numbers 23:19 (KJV) 19 God is not a man,
that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken,
and shall he not make it good? Who has loved and supported you in prayer? Thank God for them
this morning and call their name to Him in prayer too. You know, Job prayed for his, "friends." When
Job was down and out, his, so-called, "friends," came to support him, but really all they did was insult and depress
Him. Oh, they knew the Word of God but, in this case, they did not have a spirit of wisdom and revelation and they
did not rightly divide the Word of God. Poor Job. Nevertheless, he determined in his own mind, even though he
was in destitute condition to pray for his friends. Job 42:7-10 (NLT) 7 After
the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends,
for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So take
seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for
you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately
about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the
Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the LORD commanded them, and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer. 10 When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him
twice as much as before! Maybe some people you considered friends have disappointed you.
They may be believers but have just not been discerning toward your situation. Go ahead and, like Paul, pray for them,
give thanks for them. Like Job, pray for them anyway. See God bring changes in their lives and in yours!
When Job prayed for His friends, God gave him twice as much as He has lost. Paul kept on praying for the spirit of wisdom and revelation for the Ephesians and for us. That's
what we should pray for our fellow believers. What is the spirit of wisdom and revelation? In the Strong's Dictionary,
it means wise in a general sense of the word. We must be wise in spiritual things and also in everyday practical things
here on earth. Jesus became wisdom for us, so His Spirit gives us the spirit of wisdom. Don't you want that spirit
of wisdom so you can make proper decisions in life and say and do the, "right," things? And, how many times
do we pray for those we know who are believers? They all need the spirit of wisdom too. May I say that we especially
need to pray for those who minister the Word of God to us? They need that spirit of wisdom to lead the flock in the
right direction. Have you noticed that when, unfortunately, a leader in the Christian world may not operate in the
spirit of wisdom, a whole lot of other folks go down with him or her? They lose the little faith they might have had.
Besides that, the Name of Jesus is brought down in the world's eyes. Jesus has not changed. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT) 8 Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. But, the way He is seen by unbelievers and those
weak in the faith changes - and not for the better. So, we need to pray for one another. We need to pray for
salvation for unbelievers but especially for the spirit of wisdom for those who teach us and preach to us. We also
need to pray for the spirit of wisdom to fill parents today so that they can raise up a generation of people who will trust
in and believe in the "real," Jesus. Not the Jesus that the world would like to tell us is weak and just
a, "crutch," for wimps. No! Jesus is wisdom, itself. With wisdom, comes power and He
has all the power in the world and in Heaven! We need to pray, like Paul, also for the spirit of revelation.
That is that God will reveal Himself to those we pray for, more and more. God has revealed Himself in scripture
and the more we renew our mind with His Word, the more revelation we will have. There is even a book at the end of
the Bible which is called, "Revelation." It is the revelation of the person of Christ. We ought to
be praying for our leaders and for other believers that they would have this spirit of revelation. That they would
renew their minds constantly in God's Word so that unbelievers would see that we, as the Body of Christ, are living
proof that He wants everyone to be blessed, chosen, adopted, forgiven and redeemed. Who do you pray for? MORNING MANNA - JULY 7, 2010 HIS PLANS FOR YOU ARE GOOD AND HERE'S THE PLAN Ephesians 1:10 (NLT) I'm so glad that, long ago, God declared that
His plans for those who would follow and obey Him are good! Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT) 11 For I know
the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future
and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14
I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I
will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” If
you have been bound in captivity by a sinful lifestyle, come to Jesus. Let Him restore you. Hear the good plans
He has for you. He says they are good and that He's not out to harm us, but to give us a future and a hope.
He said, back in Jeremiah's time, that, if we would look for Him wholeheartedly, we would find Him. He will allow Himself
to be found by us. He will end our captivity to whatever is binding us and holding us captive. Maybe you have
never received Jesus. He's knocking at your heart's door right now. Just open the door and let Him in.
Maybe you have slipped into the pit of some addiction. You might not want to admit you're there. After all,
you are a Christian! That's not enough really. You need to be honest with yourself and with God. He doesn't
want you to be captive to anything or anyone but Him; and He's able to deliver you! 2 Kings 17:39 (KJV) 39 But
the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. God wants
us to fear Him because He is so mighty that He can do anything, including deliver us from any and all of our enemies.
He wants us to follow Him, be transparent with Him and trust Him to help us obey. Then, at the right time, His
time, He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ! In the meantime, in your life and in my
life, at the right time, His time, He will answer our prayers and let His answer be manifested in our lives.
We must learn to look for Him wholeheartedly. We may find Him in the most unlikely of places. I heard a story on the radio the other day about a little boy who packed a little bag for himself with some
twinkies and a six-pack of root beer. He left the house, telling his mother that he was going out to see
if he could find God. He went to the park. There on the park bench, sat a haggard old man so the boy sat down
beside him and the old man smiled, happy to have a young boy's company. They talked together and the boy noticed that
the old man was hungry and thirsty, so he shared his stash of twinkies and soda with the man. The man smiled his toothless
smile again. At the end of their visit, both returned to their own homes. The boy's mother asked if he had
seen God and the boy answered, "Yes! And God's smile is so wonderful!" When the old man returned home,
he told his son, to his son's amazement, that he had lunch in the park with God. Then he said, "You
know, I never realized that God was so young!" When we're looking for God wholeheartedly, we, too,
may find that we see Him where we didn't expect to find Him and that He looks and acts a whole lot differently than we might
have expected. We can't expect to find God in a little box somewhere, neatly contained. He just may be waiting
in the park for us to take time to sit down with Him and have lunch! There's a, "furthermore," or a, "moreover," to God's Word to us in Ephesians, chapter
one. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have
received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
I already see that His plans are good for those who will trust Him and follow Him. Sometimes His plans
don't feel very good to us, but, by faith, we know that they are good. He makes everything
to work out according to His plan, in His time. With me, are you counting on the words from
Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for us are good and not to harm us? What feels like harm at times can only turn
out for good if we're looking for Him and His plan and purpose in our situations. Here is God's purpose. Ephesians 1:12 12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were
the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. It was God's purpose that the
Jewish people would bring praise and glory to God and they will because God has ordained it, in His time.
But, since the Jewish people, as a whole, did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah, God gave us Gentiles a chance, a
wonderful invitation to be grafted into the Vine (Jesus). Ephesians 1:13 13 And now you Gentiles
have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own
by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. God has graciously revealed the Messiah to
us and given us hearts to receive His Spirit. We have a guarantee, because of His Spirit, that He will give us eternal
life, as He promised. We are adopted, just as if we were His own people but He looked across time and chose us.
Then He purchased us so that we could become His own people! Why would He do such a thing for such an unlovely bunch?
Because it would bring Him praise and it would glorify Him. How would it do that? It would do it when we open
our mouths and sing, with gusto," God says, I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm adopted, I'm favored, redeemed, yeah,
I'm forgiven. Makes me want to sing, I'm a child of the King and now I'm really livin' - Ephesians One 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and
that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. If
today finds you pressed down, on the ground, thinking you might lose your mind, refuse that! Renew your
mind. The song, "Ephesians One," also says I opened up the Bible and found I could rely on
Ephesians Chapter one." Yes, you can rely on every Word that God has given us in scripture and you can
let those Words override anything that is coming against you right now. You are blessed according to His plan and God
never makes a plan that He doesn't carry through. Besides that, its a good plan! If you need to, get your Bible
right now and open it to Ephesians, chapter one. Read each word slowly letting the Word sink into your spirit
and bring healing and restoration to your soul and your body. That's His plan for you! Me too. I just
want to thank Him today for loving me and you through His Word and carrying out His good plans for us at just the right time!
As my sister would say, "Sounds like a plan to me!" MORNING MANNA - JULY 6, 2010 YOU ARE FORGIVEN BECAUSE OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE!
Ephesians 1:7 (KJV) 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; You and I are redeemed and forgiven. That's more than a mouthful and more than enough to reflect
on without ever getting to the very depth of the significance of it! The very strange thing about it (according to
worldly standards) is that it is God's good pleasure to forgive us! No matter what we've done. To redeem us,
no matter how filthy we are when He picks us up out of the pit. It's all because of, and according to, the riches
of His divine influence on our hearts (his grace). Now, if we had done anything to deserve it, it might be fathomable
that God would maybe think about giving us forgiveness and redemption but we did not do anything to deserve it and, moreover,
we would never be able do anything to deserve it! However, God desires and delights to do this for us! He not
only does this out of the kindness of His heart. He adds all wisdom and understanding! Ephesians 1:8 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
We are truly blessed! Jesus, Himself, is our wisdom and He lives inside of us if we have asked Him in.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT) 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him
to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31
Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” This
freedom we enjoy from being redeemed through the blood sacrificed by Jesus is simply that. Through the blood of Jesus;
and there is no other way to have that kind of freedom. If you haven't repented of your sins and asked Jesus to redeem
and forgive you, it's time to do it right now. It's His good pleasure. It's His desire. It's His delight to save
you! He has given us minds with which we can understand this
simple, but profound, invitation. He has also given us Himself to be our wisdom in life. He'll be there to guide
us into making right decisions if we will listen. I have a little problem in that area. Sometimes, I listen.
I hear. Then, I go the other way! Wrong!! That only means I am not fully accepting this priceless gift
that God has given me. Maybe you can relate to that. God has given us wisdom and understanding too but we have
to take it and then use it! James 1:22-24 (KJV) 22 But
be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. How awesome is it that the
Almighty God, Creator of this universe, has done all of this for us. It wasn't a random act of kindness.
He purposed it in Himself and it was according to His own delight! Now He has let us in on the secret!
He has let us understand the mystery of His will if we will walk according to the Word that we know! Ephesians 1:9 (KJV) 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: It was with purpose and determination that God carried
out the plan of redemption for us, unworthy though we are, without Christ. God is a God of purpose and we, because
we are made in His imagine, need to be people of purpose. Our pastor spoke this past Sunday of two of the
purposes we should have in our lives. These two purposes will help us to be doers of God's word. One is to be
salt. Matthew 5:13 (NLT) 13 “You are
the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out
and trampled underfoot as worthless. Here's something we can do. We can function as salt and flavor
and preserve the world around us. But, if we get diluted too much with worldly thinking, we won't be salty any
more and we will be good for nothing. How sad. Our purpose has come to an end. We need not let this
happen! We must set our thoughts on God's Word so that what we do will be directed by what He says. The other
thing we can do is to be light. Here again, it is good and right for the world to see the glory of God in the
way we live (what we do). Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT) 14 “You
are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No
one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone
in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to
see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Don't put your light under a basket.
It will only start a fire and burn up the basket with you inside. Stand up on the hilltops of the world and let the
world see that God has redeemed you and forgiven you. Let the world know that God wants to do the same for them!
His great desire is that all should come to repentance. But, unless we are doers of the word and not just hearers,
others will not know of His love. They will not see the changed lives of those God has redeemed and forgiven.
God says I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm adopted, I'm favored, redeemed, yeah, I'm forgiven. Makes me want to sing,
I'm a child of the King and now I'm really livin' - Ephesians One Yes, God said all of that. Now it's time
to show the world it's true by the things we do and the way we live with understanding and wisdom! MORNING MANNA - JULY 5, 2010 YOU ARE REDEEMED! Ephesians 1:7 (KJV) 7 In whom
we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through
His infinite mercy. His child , and forever, I am. Maybe you know that old hymn that speaks of the
redemption that Paul tells us about in Ephesians, Chapter One. Songs and hymns are a great way to remind ourselves
of who we are in God's eyes, through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you have never trusted your life back to your Heavenly
Father, through the blood of Jesus Christ, today is the day to do it. God says that today is our day for salvation
(if we will receive it). 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NLT) 1 As
God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped
you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. Yesterday,
here in America, we celebrated our independence. We celebrated the fact that we are free. But, freedom has a
cost and it has a responsibility, as well as all of the privileges we get to experience. Our Pastor spoke about freedom
and how we have been given freedom for a purpose, not just to make us feel good and go about doing whatever
we please. As a citizen of whatever country we live in, if we are free to worship, we should thank God and take advantage
of that freedom. If you live in a free country I would venture to guess that God made it that way so you could
worship Him, praise Him, live for Him, and tell others of the good news of the Gospel. Do you find that to be
your purpose if you are living in a free country? And, most of all, do you complete that purpose? You and I were born into bondage because of the original sin of our ancestors,
Adam and Eve. Yet, God did not want us to stay that way. So He sent a Redeemer. If we receive
Him, we become a part of the Body of Christ. We become a part of the bride of Christ. This Redeemer was
foreshadowed in the person of Boaz, in the book of Ruth. If you have a moment, read the very small book in the Bible
and see Jesus in the person of Boaz. See how God did not forget Naomi, who had become bitter after losing her sons
and her husband to death. See how God honored Ruth, who was loyal to her mother-in-law and followed Naomi's God instead
of the idols of her own country. See how a foreigner could become one of the top citizens in a different country and
be part of the Kingdom of God. All because of a redeemer-kinsman, which Boaz was.Ruth 3:9 (NLT) It's important that we remember
that we are redeemed and just who our Redeemer is. We can fall into idolatry if we think our jobs, position,
fame, inheritance, spouse, parents, or any other person or thing can free us - redeeming us from the curse of sin.
All of these things listed above are only gifts from God but the greatest gift God ever gave us was a Redeemer. There
will be times in life that we don't feel redeemed. Job certainly must not have felt pretty "unredeemed,"
when all the awful things started to happen in his life. If you have more time, read the book of Job. Then, if
you have something going on in your life that is uncomfortable or painful, you won't feel so bad! Everything awful
that you could think of happened to Job. He lost his children. He lost his wealth, He lost his health.
His friends insulted him. His wife discouraged and abandoned him. And, on and on. Yet! Job was resolute.
He knew he had a rRdeemer. He didn't understand why all of these awful things were happening in His life, but he
chose to trust that this Redeemer was there and that he would, one day, see Him and then understand. Perhaps,
because Job chose to trust in his Redeemer even though he could not see Him or understand Him, Job was blessed
in the end, very much more than he had been before (and before, he was number one in the land in wealth and integrity).
Job 19:25-26 (AMP) 25 For I know that my
Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at last He [the Last One] will stand upon the earth. 26 And
after my skin, even this body, has been destroyed, then from my flesh or without it I shall see God, Job,
"kept the faith," as they say and he did not even know what we know today about the Redeemer! Here in America, we pay homage to the man brave men and women who have given their lives so that we could
live in this free country. How much more should you and I remember that the Lord is the King who sacrificed Himself
so we could have the freedom from sin that we now enjoy. This is how the write of The Message paraphrases this.
Ephesians 1:7 (MSG) 7 Because
of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties
and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! Did
you know that you can live in a free country and still be bound? You can live in a free country and not be free at
all! You are only free if the Son (the Redeemer) has set you free. Then you are free, indeed. Are you free
and do you remember that He has set you free, not only to enjoy His blessings, but to serve Him with all that He has given
you? God says I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm adopted, I'm favored, redeemed, yeah, I'm forgiven. Makes me want
to sing, I'm a child of the King and now I'm really livin'" - from the song, Ephesians One. If you have
received the Redeemer, you are redeemed and all of these other things go with your redemption. Does it make you want
to sing? It should because you are a redeemed child of the King! MORNING MANNA - JULY 4, 2010 YOU ARE CHOSEN! Ephesians 1:4 (KJV) God says I'm blessed, I'm chosen, I'm
adopted, I'm favored, I'm redeemed, yeah I'm forgiven. Those are part of the lyrics of the song I mentioned
in the Morning Manna a few days ago, "Ephesians One." Well, the writer of this song didn't just pick
words out of the air that rhymed and went with the beat (although the song will make you dance for joy). These words
are the writer's expression of what is mentioned by God to us in Ephesians, Chapter One. Yesterday, we were reminded
that we are blessed. Here in Ephesians 1:4, we see that God chose us before the foundation of the world. Pretty amazing. Especially for me,
since I was always the last one chosen for the team in PE class. He chose us to be holy and without blame before Him
in love. The only way we can do that is through Jesus. He is the only One who lived a perfect life and can stand
before His Father holy and without blame in love but God has given us, as chosen, adopted children, the same privilege!
We are set apart for God's use. That's holy. We are justified if we have received Jesus, just as though we had
never sinned. That makes us without blame. If we love Jesus, we will obey His commandments and stand before
God in love. John 14:15 (NLT) Just as the song says, we are adopted. That may sound as though we might be second class citizens
but it is just the opposite. Someone who is adopted is really, really wanted. Ephesians 1:5 (KJV) 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, God had two perfect children in the beginning.
Adam and Eve. However, they sinned and left the rest of us to be born with a sin nature that would keep us forever
from God. I imagine that thought really grieved God's heart of love for His creation so, although I don't pretend to
understand predestination, I do understand that God loves me and He loves you too. He knew what was going to happen
to humankind because He can't help it that He knows everything. Yet, somehow, He planned to adopt us as His children
by Christ Jesus. Now when He looks at those of us who have received Jesus, He doesn't see the sin nature. Only
the nature of His perfect Son, Jesus Christ. God wanted us so much that, way ahead of time, He designed a plan to adopt
us back into His family by giving up Jesus to be crucified, dead and buried after living a perfect life. The amazing
thing is that He rose again and now we, too, as adopted children through Jesus, will rise again one day to live forever in
the presence of our loving Heavenly Father. All of this pleased God. His will is that all of His children should
return to Him and now He has made a way! 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) 9 The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. Yes, Jesus is coming back for us chosen and adopted children to
take us all to be with Him forever. God is not willing that any should be absent when we all are taken back to the
perfect Paradise. His perfect will is that we should all come to repentance. Have you stood in agreement with
God that you are a sinner and that you need to turn around and go in His direction instead of the direction the enemy and
the world is trying to lead you? Jesus would probably come back right now but God is patient because there are still
some that need to repent and He doesn't want anyone to be left behind. Are you one of those He is patiently
waiting for? God is delighted that He has offered
us the invitation of adoption back into His family. He is even more delighted when someone accepts that invitation. Luke 15:10 (KJV) 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy
in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Really, God is satisfied,
even delighted in the fact that He has made a way to choose and adopt us. I'm sure He is blessed when we
stand before Him in love. Ephesians 1:6 (KJV) 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he
hath made us accepted in the beloved. Our Father has done all this to the praise of the dignity
and honor of His graciousness toward us. He has purposed to offer us His divine influence on our heart so that we
will want to live by His principles and live in love with Him and with others. He has chosen, by adopting us,
to show His graciousness, to show His dignity and honor. Then He has chosen to highly favor us by bestowing these
things on us. We're blessed, we're chosen, we're adopted, we're forgiven (if we have repented) and
we're also favored. There's a whole lot to think about in those few phrases. When we really meditate on
these things, it will change the way we think about ourselves and the way we think of others. It will definitely
change the way we think about God because we will realize that when we had no chance at all (except Hell), God bought us
back by paying the price of the blood of His Son. Then He brought us back into His family. Many times children
are biologically born that are not wanted or loved. But, when you're adopted, you know for sure that you are wanted
and that you are loved, especially since God chose you. Makes you want to sing doesn't it? You really should
sing because you're a child of the King. Nothing can hold you back from living the abundant life that Jesus died
to give you! MORNING MANNA - JULY 3, 2010 Ephesians 1:3 (KJV) YOU ARE BLESSED First of all, let us all do what Paul did in his letter to the
Ephesians. All together now, let's say, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
It's really all about Him and He is so much more than we are that it is amazing that He should even pay any attention to
little old us. Have you ever wanted anything really badly, gotten it, used it for a while, and then forgotten about
it or maybe even decided you didn't like it any more (especially if it didn't do or look like what you had expected)?
Well, God certainly could feel that way about humankind. He made us beautifully, wonderfully, perfectly, and gave
us everything we needed and then we wanted more. We wanted the one thing we shouldn't have. We messed ourselves
up in sin. We took of what God said, "Do not eat." (Of course, this could go into another Morning
Manna, "Do not eat," since many of us have a problem with that temptation and often fall prey to it, including
me!) When you think of the way God made us and what He expected of what He made (even though He gave us free choice
to listen to Him or go our own way), you (or at least I) might think that, since we didn't do what we were supposed to do
and, because of that, we don't look the way we should look, my interest would wane and I would go on to creating or getting
myself something better. After all, if He gave us everything and we blew it, what was to keep God from either ignoring
or just destroying us? I'll tell you what it was. It was His love for us. It was His love for His creation.
You see, He creates things with a potential for life and abundance but we sometimes think we know better and expect something
forbidden to give us our potential and our abundance. Never mind that. God is merciful. He is forgiving.
He loved us imperfect creatures so much that He gave His perfect Son so we could be forgiven. He blessed us beyond
our wildest imagination and He still continues to do that when we seek Him. Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV) 20 Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in
us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen. Yes, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should
have blessed Him before He gave us anything, but He has now given us everything we need to operate in His Kingdom way
far more than we could ever ask or think! Bless Him now. Give Him the glory! God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places with Christ. First of all, let's
be sure we are with Christ. Have you given Him your life, repented of your sin and made Him King of your heart?
If not, just do it now. He's patiently knocking at your heart's door but only you can open the door because the door
knob is only on the inside. Revelation 3:20 (KJV) 20 Behold, I stand
at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he
with me. Besides that, our God is gracious. He is a gentlemen. He's not going to force
His way into your heart and force you to receive abundant life and all of His other almost unbelievable promises.
He's not going to force you to accept, receive and use all spiritual blessings in heavenly places! But, He really
wants you to! There is a condition though. You have to be willing to live a life in close communion with
Him. If you reread what you have just read, who would need to be forced? Do you like to have your things
stolen? Do you like to operate under a curse where you have to watch out for your life all the time for fear of destruction
or death? I really doubt it. So, if you have not already made Jesus the King of your life, won't you
do it now? He won't disappoint you. You just have to ask Him in. Are you feeling hospitable today?
When you open that door. you're going to get so much more than you bargained for! John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly. One more thing. Once you have invited Him in (and you may have
done that years ago), perhaps you have not given Him full run of the house? If there is a drawer (you know those drawers
we through stuff in when company's coming and then forget it's in there), let Him help you clean it out. There may
be stuff in there that's not good for you or even rotten stuff. Maybe you have a closet in your heart where you
have been storing resentment, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. You put it in there and close the door and
then try to sit at the kitchen table with Jesus and share a meal. It's going to be uncomfortable. Since
He already knows your heart, let Him into that closet. Give all that deadly clutter to Him. Let Him turn your
closet into a place of peace and prayer. He's willing, but are we? It could be that you have a whole room in
your house where you stuff things, especially when company is coming. Then you close the door and declare that
room, "out of bounds." I know. I have done that much of my life! But, when there is a room in
our heart like that, Jesus may not feel completely welcome and comfortable. Is Jesus comfortable and blessed
in your heart? Is your heart orderly, every drawer, every closet, every room? Have you allowed Him to see everything,
get rid of the extra clutter and dirt and help you redecorate? He's here to bless us but, first, this morning, let's
just bless our loving Father who loved us enough to send Jesus down to help us clean our houses and keep us company,
even eating joyfully with us! Just what all has he given
us? Only everything in Heaven. Salvation. The gifts of the Spirit. Power to do His will.
The hope of eternity with Christ. An intimate relationship with Christ. These are all things that are in Heaven
but God has chosen to give them to us now through Jesus Christ. Are you enjoying Jesus today? Do you feel the
impact of all those things He has given you? When you have your heart (house) in order, you can find any one of those
things, and more, at a moments notice. They all look like and work just as God intended and they are all at your disposal.
You are blessed. I am blessed! Here's more confirmation from The Living Bible. Ephesians 2:4-7 But God is so rich in mercy; He loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead
and doomed by our sins, He gave us back our lives again when He raised Christ from the dead - only by His undeserved
favor have we ever been saved - and lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we sit with Him in the
Heavenly realms - all because of what Christ Jesus did. And now God can always point to us as examples of how very,
very rich His kindness is, as shown in all He has done for us through Jesus Christ. Wow! Are we
ever blessed. Lifted up from the grave into glory, along with Christ! Sitting with Him in His house (and He in
ours) and enjoying everything that is at His disposal (which, by the way, is everything). So, what
will it be for us today? Will we be the example that God can point to, demonstrating the fact that He has been more
than kind to us through everything He has done for us through Jesus Christ? Or, will we go into some of those drawers,
closets, and rooms that have not been cleaned out and lead a life of depression, oppression and doom? What's the
first step to being an example of how good God is? It's to bless Him with our mouth and with our life.
As they used to sing, "When the praises go up, the blessings come down."
Let me be careful to say here that the praises that come from just singing in corporate worship are not what
brings the blessings from God down and they don't lift us up into the Heavenly places with Christ where we can sit at peace.
They are merely a result of living a life of praise all week long! God does all for us when we choose to live
for Him and bless Him by the way we live. He's more than willing to give you and me everything in the Heavenlies.
Are we more than willing to live consistent lives that bless God? MORNING MANNA - JULY 2, 2010 PAUL HAS PRAYED THAT YOU HAVE GRACE AND PEACE FROM THE LORD Ephesians 1:2 (KJV) Have you started your day yet or are you just getting started by doing what we should all
do first, reading the Word of God and communicating with Him? I'm still thinking about the "Ephesians Chapter
One" song. Boy, does it rev up your spirit and get your soul to start agreeing to who God says you are!
But, in the meantime, I decided to carefully go through the chapter and see what else I could find. I want to share
that with you. I don't know what you have to do today (or what you think you have to do). I do know, though,
that God has provided you and me all the grace and peace we need to go through the day (and probably more since Psalm 23 says that our cups run over). Since we have stuff running over in our saucer, why not
pass it along to somebody else? Perhaps somebody that looks and acts like their cup is empty, if not crushed and broken?
The Apostle, Paul, prayed that you and I would have grace and peace from God. Not just somebody in the great somewhere
that we call God, but God our Father. Our perfect father. We may not have had a dad on this earth that
promoted grace and peace in our family but, now that we have believed in Jesus, we have the Perfect Father and in this
family, grace and peace reign. It reigns because the Lord Jesus paid the price for it. John 14:27 (KJV) 27 Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid. There may be some things that are coming your way today that you do not expect or
you may be right smack dab in the middle of something so difficult that you feel like you're not going to make it through! When we really think about it, we were not going to make
it through to eternity and peace and joy forever with the Lord. Until. Until Jesus came and paid the price for
us so that we could be saved by grace. Ephesians 2:4-6 (KJV) 4 But God, who is rich
in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins,
hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Yes, we are saved
by grace and nothing else. All by the blood of Jesus. Right now a praise and worship fest should be bursting forth
from all of us reading this. But, this grace did not just save us. The meaning of grace is show to
us in the Strong's Dictionary: from <G5463> (chairo); graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or
spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) :- acceptable,
benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy). Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew
Dictionary. So, each and every day, with its joys and trials, we have God's divine influence on our heart to reflect
on as to how it will show us just what to do in every situation. We can be thankful that we have His gift of
favor, joy, liberality, His pleasure and we need to be so thankful for all of this! Whatever it is you are doing today
and, if you are going through a trying time, remember that you have God's divine influence on your heart. Reflect on
it. Open your spiritual ears and see what He is saying about what you need to do. Be thankful that He has given
you the gift of His favor. You have His benefits and as some would say, "And don't you forget it." Psalm 103:2-5 (KJV) 2 Bless the LORD, O my
soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who
satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. God has answered Paul's prayer right down through the ages and
we are the benefactors. We have peace that Jesus said He gave us. We have grace which was supplied when
Jesus paid the price on the cross. Maybe we should just stop today and, at every turn, no matter what it looks like,
say, "Thank you Lord for the peace and grace that You have given me. Thank You for Your define influence
on my heart that will help me through anything if I will just receive that influence. Thank you that I can breathe
in Your peace every moment and that it lives inside me so that I can call it to rise up in any situation."
Thank you Lord for your benefits and your favor on my life. Lord, I don't feel good about my situations sometimes but
thank you that You heard Paul's prayer for me and for anyone who will receive You and You're still answering each individual
who is calling on You. You have enough favor, grace, peace, benefit, wisdom, and joy to go around (and more).
You are the giver of everything I need and you give liberally. Help me to give to others as my cup overflows with
all these things. Thank you for forgiving my iniquities, for healing my diseases and redeeming my life from destruction.
Thank you for Your lovingkindness and the tender mercies you have shown in my life. Thank you for the physical
and spiritual food You have given me. Good things so that your promise can be completed in my life that my youth is
renewed like the eagle's!" Oh my, some of the words to the song, Ephesians One are these. "GOD SAYS I’M BLESSED I’M CHOSEN I’M ADOPTED
I’M FAVORED I’M REDEEMED YEAH I’M FORGIVEN" That's a lot of benefits right there. We have grace and we have peace. It's already
been given to us by the Lord and He paid the great price for it! Maybe we should stop praying for peace within ourselves
and boldly thank God for putting it there. Maybe we should stop praying for more grace and thank God for the grace
He has already put inside us and walk in it. Everything God does is complete. Nothing missing, nothing
broken, except maybe our way of thinking because we have not renewed our mind through the Word enough to know that,
no matter what happens in this life, we have been given grace and peace by our Father. You're blessed, chosen,
adopted, favored, redeemed and forgiven! Me too. I don't always walk like that in confidence but I'm working
on it. How about you? MORNING MANNA - JULY 1, 2010 CAN YOU BE DEFINED AS, "EVER LOYAL TO THE LORD?" Ephesians 1:1 (KJV) In these past few weeks, I have been concentrating on who I am in Christ. How God
defines me. And, how God defines you, if you are a believer in Christ. There are so many positive ways that God
defines us in the scripture and all of them are because He did it for us. I have been encouraging myself by singing
a song called, "Ephesians One." It's all about what is said about us in Ephesians Chapter one.
It's great because it's got a beat that makes you jump for joy if you're singing it. Even if you're not singing,
you'd probably jump for joy because of the reminder of all the things that God says we are just in one chapter in the
Bible. So, I began to read Ephesians, chapter one, with a close eye to ask God what all He was saying.
Lots was said in the song but I have found even more in the scripture. First of all Paul, the Apostle, is writing
to the church at Ephesus. However, some have described this as a circular letter that probably was read at
all the churches where Paul had influence. And, it certainly has proved to be a circular letter because
it is in the scripture and it speaks to you and me today just as it spoke to the first readers! Paul tells us who he is. An apostle of Jesus Christ. He clarifies the fact that he did not
appoint himself as such, but that it was by the will of God. There are many who call themselves apostles today.
May it be that they really all are apostles by the will of God. However, we are told that we must watch out for wolves
in sheep's clothing so we might watch the, "apostles," of today to see if their lifestyle is in line with the Word
of God. You can't be an apostle unless you are in line with the Word. Paul is writing to the saints in Ephesus.
Now, you might think that he is writing only to those who perfectly keep the law, but no. He is writing to those who
believe and who have trusted their hearts and lives to Jesus. In the same way today, he is writing to you and
me and calling us saints. The Word is inspired by God so it is really God that is calling us saints. Only He
knows our hearts but, if He looks in there and sees Jesus, He sees you as a saint. That's how He defines
you. All of us saints are not in the same place as far as the renewal of our minds but our spirits are safe
and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. Then Paul includes all who are faithful
in Christ Jesus. Does that include you? Are you, "ever loyal," to the Lord? Does this description
define you and me? On this one, it's a choice. God will define us as ever loyal and faithful to him if we will
do what it takes to define ourselves as such. Because we have given our lives to Jesus, we are saints, set apart and
consecrated for the Father. But, Paul says, in the Amplified Version, "who are also faithful and loyal and
steadfast in Christ Jesus." There is the choice. This is where we make the choice as to how God can define
us. Are we faithful? Are we loyal? Are we steadfast? You may say, "I am faithful to my
spouse," and that is definitely God's will and it is a wonderful thing. But, this is not the depth Paul is talking
about. Are you as faithful to Jesus as you are to your spouse? If Jesus has given you instructions through His
Word or by Holy Spirit revelation, are you faithful to follow? If others around you are denying Him with their words
and their actions, are you faithful to Him, or do you join right in? Are you loyal? Many are loyal to the country
in which they reside. This weekend, being the fourth of July, a celebration of America, I can say that I am loyal
to my country. I may not like everything that is going on now and I do know that the people of God need to seek His
face and turn from their wicked ways so that our land can be healed and blessed. So, are you loyal to your
country because you like the way it is, even if it is not following God's principles? Or are you loyal to Jesus Christ,
being a living example in your country of Kingdom living and loving? This is what Paul is talking about.
Loyalty is a great thing but, unless our full loyalty is in Jesus, the rest is inconsequential. Are you steadfast?
You may be steadfast at your career with dreams of climbing the corporate ladder. You may even be steadfast at your
career because you know you must provide for your family. Providing for your family in a material way is necessary
and it is a Godly trait. However, Paul is speaking about those who are steadfastly growing in the knowledge and
revelation of the Lord. Those who are steadfast and loyal and faithful, even when faced with the severe trials we
go through on this earth. As a matter of fact, when Paul wrote this to us, he wasn't just telling us to do these things.
He was being an example. This letter was written while he was in prison being loyal to the Lord and steadfastly and
faithfully giving testimony to the power of the Lord both to his captors and to us! This was his choice.
God wants to define us as "ever loyal to Him," but He cannot do so without our permission. We have
to make the choice to put all of our loyalty in Him and steadfastly stay in His Word and in prayer. We have to
faithfully walk in the Spirit and keep in step. So, what is our choice today? How do we want God to define
us? How do we want our children to define us? How do we want society to define us? Hopefully, our answer
will be that we will be among those who are spoken of as being "ever loyal to Jesus." MORNING MANNA - JUNE 30, 2010 SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T FEEL REDEEMED! Colossians 1:14 In Whom we
have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins. Just how would you describe yourself? You may come up with quite a few negatives and some positives
too. Hopefully, one of your definitions of yourself will be how God defines you. That is, you are redeemed!
You know, some days, though, I just don't feel redeemed. I have a good idea that I'm not the only believer
who has days when they wonder why they feel like they feel. Not very redeemed. It doesn't
matter how we feel, God says we're redeemed if we have received Jesus as our Savior and Lord. So it's settled.
You are redeemed and I am redeemed! That is who we are. It didn't come at little cost either.
We have our redemption through the blood of Jesus. There is power in the blood. Power to forgive sins and power
to heal. But, are there some days that you just don't feel like you have much power? I have to admit that this
is one of those days for me. I, not only don't feel redeemed, I feel like having a melt-down! Maybe
some of you can relate. Even though we're redeemed, that
doesn't mean that we won't go through challenges. Some days are harder than others. The writer of The Message writes
that: Colossians 1:11 11 We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not
the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and
spills over into joy, 12 thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take
part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. Even though we are delivered from
the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of Jesus, we will go through days where it feels like
that is not true. That's when it's so important that we know that we are redeemed. That we know who
we are. The redeemed of the Lord. I started out my day today with a good attitude and stayed balanced for the
first part of the morning. Then I was sure that God would bless my day so much that I would feel it.
Well, let me tell you that just the opposite happened. Most of my day was wasted on hold on the phone trying to get
satisfaction with a service I have purchased and for which I have paid a high price. As the day wore on
and nothing I had planned to do got done, I found myself feeling not quite redeemed. Resentment and anger filled my
soul. I tried to be kind to those I spoke to but still the thoughts were there. It just wasn't fair. Paul
prayed in Colossians 1:11 that we would have all the endurance and patience we need. I'm so glad he prayed that because
God never forgets a prayer and I was certainly in need of some endurance and patience today. Ever had one of those
days? I hope you don't have one but I do have to admit it is an opportunity to lean into God when you feel like
you're going to fall apart and you are getting nowhere fast! Paul also prayed that we would be filled with joy.
No wonder he prayed that. The joy of the Lord is our strength! We have reason to be joyful. We are redeemed
and we should always be thanking God that He has allowed us to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people.
By the way, on dark days, we need to remember that the redeemed live in the light. Always. Even the darkness
is light to God! Psalm 139:12 (AMP) 12 Even
the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.
We share in that because of who we are - redeemed! May this day find you knowing you are redeemed and
living in the light even if circumstances make you feel like you are not redeemed and living in the darkness.
The enemy just loves to make us feel worthless and unredeemed but let me remind you, redeemed person that you are,
greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. No matter what anybody says and no matter how we may
feel at times, we are redeemed. Praise the Lord! If you know this hymn, start singing:
"Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through his infinite mercy.
His child, and forever I am." God said it. So be it! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 29, 2010 CONFIDENT Philippians 1:6 (NLT) One way that Paul helps us see ourselves as God sees us, to define ourselves as God does, is this. Paul said
that he was confident that the good work that God started in us would not be left unfinished. Paul was certain.
Paul was persuaded. Paul had full belief in this. He trusted in it and he was convinced of it. We should agree
with Paul and with God. God began a good work in us when we trusted Christ as our Savior. That was only the
beginning. The work continues. Our work and God's work in us. God began the good work within us and He
will finish it on the day when Jesus returns. First of all, have you received Jesus so God can begin the good
work within you? If not, you can do it today. The Bible says, "today is the day of salvation."
If you have never done this, all you have to do is come into agreement with God that you are a sinner, unable to keep
every law perfectly and receive God's gift of unconditional love provided by the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus.
The good work that God begins in us is a lifelong process and, if we are in
communion with God, reading His Word, and praying constantly as the Word tells us, He will communicate with us, helping us
to grow in that good work. It is God that begins the work, continues in perfecting it and finishes it through the
power of the Holy Spirit working within us. Galatians 3:2-3 (NLT) 2 Let me ask you
this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because
you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be?
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
If you are like me, you might get caught up in the "good works," method of perfecting yourself.
Let me tell you, from experience, that it will not work. In fact, it will only make you more anxious (and Jesus tells
us not to be anxious about anything). We don't need to be anxious or come up with tons of good works and self-help
books to perfect ourselves. It is God who does the work. We just have to cooperate and be obedient, walking
in His Spirit. Galatians 5:25-26 (AMP) 25 If
we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go
forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] 26 Let us not become
vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being
jealous of one another. You see, when we don't
realize that God has already defined us as finished and that He is now completing the good work He started in us,
we think it is about us. We tend to try to walk alone, feeling independent and smart enough to run our own lives. If
you are old enough, you will remember the commercial where the little girl tells her mother, "Mother, I'd rather do
it myself." When we try to tell Father that we'd rather do it ourselves, we open ourselves up to some pretty
rotten stuff. First of all, we forget it is HIS work in us not our own work that is being done. We tend to run
ahead or lag behind the Holy Spirit instead of walking with Him (notice it does not say, "running"). I have
this compulsion in me that says I must hurry all the time. I run myself ragged, getting pretty much nothing completed
because I'm not walking with the Spirit and letting God work out whatever it is He is doing for me and in me. I need
to remember that He began the work in me, He will continue working it out, and He will finish it just in time. Now,
that's peace. Maybe none of you have that problem but I'll just bet you know somebody who does. Let's encourage
one another this morning that we (in God's sight) have had a good work begun in us by God. Let's remind ourselves
that we need to stay in step with His Spirit so He can continue that work. Also, that He never, ever gives up or neglects
to do what He says He will do. He's going to finish the work! If we try to take over and make it happen, it will
cause us to be competitive. We will be jealous of one another maybe thinking that somebody else is progressing faster
than we are. And, maybe they are. Remember it is God's work and He will get it done in all of us. It's
not any of our business about the other guy. We will begin to get irritable and grouchy toward one another.
Anyone relating yet? We may even provoke those the closest to us even though we love them and then struggle with
the guilt of it all. But, if we are confident, as Paul is, that God has begun a good work in us and that He will continue
it until it is perfectly finished, we don't need to worry about anything. Our countenance will reflect confidence.
Not confidence in ourselves but confidence in our God who never breaks His Word and who has promised to conform us to the
image of His own Son! (Romans 8:28-29). In that conformation (the continuation and finishing of the good work God started in us), some things may be hard
and life may get a little tough but God has promised that everything we go through will turn out for the good because
we love Him and are the called (He started a good work in us and is continuing it) according to His purpose. Not our
purpose. His purpose. As we go through these things, walking in step with the Holy Spirit, there will be progress
in our lives and whatever didn't feel so good while it was happening will be turned to good. That's something to be
confident about. That's how God defines you if you believe His Word about this. Confident. Now, lets get
in step with the Spirit and let God lead us through to the completion of the good work He started in us! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 28, 2010 ONE WITH ALL AND ALL FOR ONE 1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but
ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? Today
there is an emphasis on local churches and individual ministries. Both local churches and individual ministries
are good and necessary if they are proclaiming the gospel of Christ. However, the emphasis should be on the whole
body of Christ. If we have received Jesus, we are co-workers with God. Both individually and as local
churches. The trouble today might be that we have put too much focus on the local church and the individual ministry
so that, instead of uniting the body of Christ, we have divided it. This is nothing new. It started way back
when the church began and is evidenced in the following scripture. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (KJV) 5 Who
then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So
then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to
his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry,
ye are God's building. Notice that Paul had to set the people straight in his time. The same is
true for our time. We are only ministers, some planting and some watering but it is the King of the Kingdom that gives
the increase. Paul even says that we who do the planting and watering are not really anything at all. The focus
is on the One for Whom we all work with one another to prepare for increase. God sees everything that you and
I do and He also sees the motive behind everything we do. If it is for our own glory, it's not going to amount to
much, although God has been known to talk through donkeys! We will all be rewarded as to whether we have obediently
and joyfully done what God told us to do. Everybody can't plant because the seeds need watering. Everybody can't
water because nothing will grow if you water ground that has not been planted. No, we labor together. It
is one with all and all for ONE - God! We are partners with
God in getting His Kingdom built. In fact we are that building! (1 Corinthians 3:9). Every part has to work the way the Master Builder made it to work in order for the building to be
strong and functional. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NLT) 1 As God’s partners, we beg you not
to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT) 8 God
saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For 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. Not only are we co-workers and partners with God in getting
His Kingdom together, we are His masterpiece. Each one of us and the finished building too! Everything we have
within us is a gift from Him in Whom we living and move and have our being. We can take nothing for granted.
Not in the physical realm and certainly not in the spiritual realm. Our salvation is a miracle. A gift that
we cannot earn by working. But, we do work because we have been given the gift. When you have the gifting to
do something, it's not really like, "work." We can boast in nothing we have done to receive salvation.
We cannot boast in our denominations or ministries and how many people we have won to Christ either. It is God who
gives the increase. We are only planters and waterers. God created us as brand new when we received Christ
Jesus. He created each of us a unique masterpiece and He already had planned long ago which good things we were
to do. If you're like me, you look around and you want to do every single good thing there is to do. But, that's
not God's thinking. For you, he has created special good things for you to do and equipped you to do them. For
me, He has done the same thing. What good things are you doing in the Kingdom of God and are you taking the credit
or are they all for His glory? Do you busy yourself doing, "good," things so others will see how, "spiritual,"
you are? I have probably done that at times. It made me feel better about myself. However, God has already
assured us that we are a masterpiece. How much more do we need to feel good about ourselves. Only the
Creator of the Masterpiece knows exactly where to place His creation. Yes, there are lots of good things to be done
in this world and it seems there may be a lack of people to do them. Not so! If we would all just get
in touch with the Creator by the Holy Spirit and walk in the good works He created us to do, we would be successful co-workers
with Him and valuable partners. The world would then see that He truly lives. They would not be looking at competitive
ministries and local churches that look too much like the corporate world! Each and every individual, church and ministry
has a part in God's Kingdom. All with one and all for ONE! There's only one Kingdom and Jesus is King
and Lord over it all! To God be the glory! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 27, 2010 DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD DEFINES YOU AS DEAD? Colossians 3:3 (KJV) The title
of this Morning's Manna sounds a bit spooky to me. Yet, it is true. God defines us as dead. But, not the
kind of dead we might think of. Just dead to the things of this world dead to sin. If we received Jesus and
He did not protect us, the world and the devil would be too much for us to handle (not to speak of our own vain imaginations).
So, God considers us dead as far as this world and the sin of the world is concerned. But, He considers
us very much alive in Christ, hidden there in secret, protected from the destruction from the world, the devil, and even
from our own selves. We are still physically alive but it is Jesus that lives in us and through us now that we
believe. He is our life. He is just waiting to return to this earth and allow us to appear with Him in glory,
unspotted by sin because God has carefully hidden us away with Christ in God. One day Jesus will return and, when
He does, if we have allowed Him to live in us and through us, we will look just like Him. Perfect in every way
(except He will be the only one with the scars that He received so that we could be hidden with Him and made perfect)! Colossians
3:44 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Imagine
that! You and I will appear with Christ in glory. We have been hidden for a purpose, for preservation and perfecting
for this wonderful time that we will stand with Christ, just as He is, in glory! It's not so spooky when I think about
it that way. In fact, it's encouraging and uplifting. Even though we are hid with Christ in God, Jesus said he
would give us life and life more abundantly. So dead, in this sense, is much better than the world's idea of life!
(John 10:10) I have done a lot of things in the past that I regret.
From bad attitudes, to wrong thoughts, to wrong actions. But, because of Jesus and the price He paid on the cross,
it's just as if I never did those things. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of that. I'm sure
you have done things that were not right also. God's Word says that we have all sinned and come short of
the glory of God. We have all failed and missed the mark but, if we have received Jesus and repented
of our sins, He has justified us and by faith we believe it. Romans 5:1 (KJV) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
God has forgiven and forgotten our sins and He tells us so. He wants us to enjoy peace with Him.
By faith we believe His Word and such a peace overwhelms us to know that. because of Jesus, we don't have to dwell
on or keep on regretting our past sins. God has forgiven them and justified us. It's just as though we never
did any of those things. Enjoying the privilege of knowing we are justified will free us from living in a sea of regrets
from the past. It will free us to forget what is behind, and move on toward the goal God has for us. What
a privilege and what a gift. Justification of our sins. What things might you have done in the past that you
have repented of and God has forgiven you? It's just as though you never did them! So, if you're still dwelling
on them, cast them on Jesus, be free, and move on to where He wants to lead you. You and I because of this justification also, by faith, can access the grace of God and that's good
reason to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2 (KJV) 2 By whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Remember, Jesus is coming back and we will stand with Him in His glory! Yes, we are justified, we are hidden with
Christ in God and we have access to the grace of God, all by faith. We also rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God and know we will stand with Jesus when this glory is manifested. In the meantime, although our spirits
are hidden with Christ in God, we still live in a world that seems to be spinning out of control. People are now calling
evil good. Isaiah 5:20 (KJV) 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! In
a whole discourse of, "woe's," this is just one listed in a discourse from the prophet Isaiah. You'd
almost think he was speaking to the world today, wouldn't you? A, "woe," from God is not something I want
to hear! But, because we live in a world that does not like the light or the good or the sweet, we will endure some
trials in our physical circumstances, since we represent those very things. We rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God but here, in this world, we many times see just the opposite of the glory of God. We see trials, troubles,
griefs, challenges, tribulations. The Word of God says that we not only rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God, we also rejoice in all of these things listed above because, as always, God is in the business of turning all things
meant for evil to good for His children. He is working all things together for good so that we can look just like Jesus
and stand with Him in His glory when He comes. Romans 5:3-5 (KJV) 3 And
not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4
And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope
maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
As I put these facts together, I realize that I, as a believer am hidden with Christ in God. Whatever
I have done in the past is forgiven and I am justified. I have the abundant life that Jesus promised in spite of tribulations
because, through these problems, Jesus is not only hiding me and protecting me, He is growing my hope and faith in the love
of God. He is allowing my hope to grow by the power of His own Holy Ghost which He has given me. I
live a, "no lose," life because of Jesus. And so do you if you have received Him. Yes, we will feel
some pain and trouble at times but greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world. We are hidden in
the greater One and we can go through knowing that our patience, experience and hope is being built. The enemy
may have meant something in our lives for evil but He can't get all the way to us. We are hidden in Christ with God.
Hard as He may try, the enemy is only going to succeed in helping us grow as we hope and trust in our God. Yes, part
of who we are is, dead to this world of sin. But, the other part of who we are is justified and hidden, filled
with faith and hope for which we will never find ourselves ashamed before God! Defined as being dead doesn't
seem so bad after all when I think about it like this! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 26, 2010 WE'RE ONE COMPLETE TEMPLE OF GOD 1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV) In these days where people are trying to, "find
themselves," and use that as an excuse to do all sorts of strange things, we as believers, do not have to look
far. Those still trying to find themselves need to stop looking at the media, TV, movies, and the latest
"who done somebody wrong song," and find Jesus. He's not far from any one of us and He's just waiting for
us to notice that He's there and let Him remake us into a complete and majestic temple. If you are a believer, that
is how you are defined. A temple of the Holy Spirit. Complete in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (KJV) 16 Know
ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If
any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
So, right about now are you feeling the awesomeness of the fact that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:17 says that if any man defile the temple of God (that's you and me, as believers), God will destroy that man for
the person has defiled something holy. You and I are holy, by the blood and grace of Jesus Christ. We are His
temple. The scripture says, "if anyone," defiles the temple, that person faces bad news! Does this
say to you that we need to be sure that we are living righteous lives in order not to defile God's temple? That's
the way I see it. However, I also see it saying that if anyone else chooses to defile or try to destroy us (as
God's temple), that person will suffer greatly. This temple,
of whom we are, is truly magnificent. Would God want to live anywhere but a holy and magnificent place? He paid
a great price for His home. We, as mere sinful human beings, are not worthy to have God make us the home
of his spirit. He cannot live in sin and unrighteousness. Why would He want to anyway? God is a God
of order and I don't think He appreciates the clutter and filth of sin. He doesn't want to live in a garbage dump!
Just now, I am thinking about order in my physical home. There are some places that need to be cleaned out.
I find it rather peaceful to live in a home that is not cluttered and disorderly (notice that I did not say that I always,
or maybe ever, achieve this goal). However, even psychologists have said that people who live in organized and orderly
homes are much more peaceful people. I can relate. Imagine now, God's holy temple (of which we are). Is
it orderly inside? Have we kept things put in their proper place? I'm speaking about our priorities and
how much time we spend taking care of the inside of the temple in all ways. Spiritually, emotionally, and
physically. Are we known by God as people who treasure the temple or people who trash the temple? I would hope
that it would be the former. If you are now or have ever been feeling a little bit insecure or like you
don't measure up to what the world says you are supposed to be, take a second look through God's eyes. Your head will
raise up and you might even through up your arms in praise. God made you His magnificent home and He desires
to live in and with you! Can you see Him now? Are there a few rooms you need to clean up a little bit so He
will be comfortable there? He will work right along with you until it is just right! Okay, so now you know what a beautiful palace you are if you have trusted Christ as your Savior.
And, even though there may be a few rooms that need a little cleaning, you are also complete in Christ. That's how
God sees you and me. Colossians 2:10 (KJV) 10 And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: What a freeing and restful thought
to know that God sees us as complete in Christ. Don't we struggle here on earth to be all that we expect
ourselves to be and all that we perceive others expect us to be? We don't have to strive or struggle, because God
sees the finished picture of this temple. He sees us as complete in Christ. Nothing missing and nothing broken.
Every cleaning job finished and ready for company! Christ is the head of all principality and power. Don't
you know that the enemy would love to come in and destroy this temple of God? He'll come around any way he can, especially if
we leave the temple unguarded. Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) 23 Keep
and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. The
enemy would just love to defile this temple! When reading in the Amplified Bible concerning 1 Corinthians 3:17, I found that defilement can come in many different ways. It can be corrupted with false doctrines so be careful just
who you invite into your living room for fellowship and teaching. Check out what comes into you (God's temple)
through your eyes and your ears. Make sure it is in accordance with God's Holy Word. Don't just let anyone into
the temple. God does not fellowship with unrighteousness. He will forgive it and make Himself at home in
a clean temple but He's not going to participate in unholy activities in one whom He calls His temple. Does this seem
harsh to you? Maybe it is a little straight-forward. But, on the other hand, what a blessing. What
a privilege. We are the home of God's own Holy Spirit. Along with that comes the responsibility of working with
God to maintain that temple. Deferring maintenance can lead to a condemned building. God's definition of us is
correct. It is marvelous. We are His complete temple. Our job is to live there peacefully with Him and
keep it clean and organized, making it exactly the way He wants it. Or, we can choose to defile it and destroy
ourselves. As they say, the choice is a, "no-brainer." Walk today in who you are with your head held
high and your heart open to others who need to see God in you. Don't show off but let God show off in you! You
are a complete and beautiful temple of the Lord! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 26, 2010 UNDER THE CARE OF THE MASTER GARDENER John 15:1 (KJV) I'm still reminding myself (and hopefully you too) of who I am in Christ. One of the most important things
is that you and I are branches from the true Vine. I have been experimenting with growing some cuttings, herbs, tomatoes
and such. I'm not a great gardener. But, I belong to the Master Gardener and I am a branch on His Vine (Jesus).
He knows just what I need as one of His, "branches." Working in my garden a little bit has shown me that
some things need different kinds of soil to grow effectively and produce fruit. If the soil is deficient, they will
be dwarfed, not produce, and even die. As the gardener, I need to know just what kind of soil they need and how to
feed them. Our God is not only the Master Gardener, He is the Soil. He is the Source of the Vine. He is
also the Vine. John 10:29-30 (AMP) 29 My
Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the
Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are One. He is the great I AM. He is fully grounded in every way. Being a branch on the Vine is to be able to
get the nutrients from the Soil. It is being watered with Living Water. It is being fed with the Word.
These things will allow us to bear fruit. It will be fruit in accordance with the Vine. Living, sweet fruit.
Nutritious fruit. Encouraging fruit. It is possible
to ignore the Master Gardener and be like a "sucker," on a rose bush or a run-away weed intertwined around the
vine trying to suck the life out of it. But, if we have really have not given our lives to the Gardener and
the Gardener finds that we are not bearing fruit the way we should, He will know that we are a fake. A sucker, if
you will. Today, there is great discussion about cleansing of the body in natural medicine. Every so often,
they say we should take something that will totally clean out our intestinal tract, making it able to absorb the nutrients
we need to live a healthy life and have energy (be able to bear fruit). If the Gardener has looked into our lives
and found that we are fruitful, there will be some "purging," done for our own good. We will be cleansed
and revived so we can bear more fruit. John 15:2 (KJV) 2 Every branch in me that beareth
not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Purging
can be uncomfortable. However, if He finds that we are not bearing any fruit, His Word says that He will take us away.
I just now read that this does not mean that Jesus takes away actual parts of His body (actual branches) but
only those that have pretended to be branches, those were only acting out the part. Of course, if there is no
nourishment coming from the vine, that "actor," will not last long! Jesus said that those of us who believe
are now clean through the word he spoke to us. John 15:3 (AMP) 3 Now ye are clean through the word which
I have spoken unto you. It is the water of the Word that allows us to grow as branches and become
one with the Vine just as God instituted marriage and says that the man and woman will become one. It is the water
of the Word that flows through us helping us to bear fruit as those rivers of living water flow through us branches refreshing
all of those around us. John 7:38 (KJV) 38 He that believeth
on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. The Master
Gardener is also the Water that keeps the Vine and the branches alive. He keeps the fruit coming. Luscious,
mouth-watering fruit, full of juice! All we have to do is cling to the Vine. John 15:4 (AMP) 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. There's
not a thing we can do to bear fruit except abide in and draw nourishment and guidance from the Vine.
John 15:5 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth
in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. At times,
I get grand ideas in my head about all the fruit I can bear. I can be a missionary. I can go feed the homeless.
I can prayer walk around my neighborhood or the neighboring schools. I can volunteer at a soup kitchen.
There are lots of things I can do (in my mind) to bear fruit but, unless I am contentedly abiding in the Vine, I can do none
of those things. Besides that, maybe that is not the fruit He has in mind. The fruit comes from Him and His
purposes; not from me personally and my own idea of whether I should be a peach or an apple! When we stop abiding in
Him or have never really been abiding in Him, the Master Gardener will cast that branch away and it will be used for fire
wood. John 15:6 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Not
a pleasant thought but then, that is not who we are in Christ if we are abiding in Him and His Words are abiding in
us. John 16:7 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. It is the unity between us and the Vine
and the Master Gardener that brings forth the perfect fruit. No wonder Jesus said that His Father would be glorified by
having our prayers answered. If we are truly abiding in the Vine, we are in agreement with the Vine who is in
agreement and obedient to the Master Gardener. John 16:8 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. The truth is that we are a branch of the true vine and, as the e-mail
I read says, a channel of His life, if we are abiding in Him and His Words are abiding in us. That's pretty awesome.
We don't have to worry about the fruit. We just have to be One with Him and the most perfect fruit will appear
for His perfect purpose! Sometimes branches don't seem that important. After all there are lots of branches in
this world on lots of vines and trees. But, you and I are special branches nurtured by the Master Gardener and
grafted into His very own Son, the Vine. Did you remember this morning that you are a true branch of the Vine and
He wants to use you to be a vessel to carry His fruit into this hungry and dying world? Don't worry about what
it is. Just abide in Him and it will appear before your very eyes, you knowing that you had nothing to do with it.
It was just Him flowing through you to do something awesome that will encourage another and bring Him glory! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 24, 2010 WHO ARE WE? FREE, FRUIT BEARERS, CONFIDENT, AND STRONG! Proverbs 14:26 (KJV) God has made us so amazingly well and full of good stuff but do we sometimes take it for granted?
We are free to approach God with confidence. A humble confidence, if you will, in what He can do. Not
an arrogant confidence that shows self aggrandizement. Ephesians 3:10-12 (NLT) 10 God’s
purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities
in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through
Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come
boldly and confidently into God’s presence. It is completely through God's grace in Christ
that we have the privilege of freely going to God in boldness and confidence. Not in our own strength or boldness
or in our own confidence but in the strength, boldness, and confidence that comes through Jesus, who takes up residence
in us. Taking God for granted just because we are given such privileges and because He has defined us as free, fruit
bearers, confident, and strong, is absolutely wrong! We need to remember to have a reverential fear of the Lord.
That is what will keep us in confidence. That is what will give us the confidence that we will never be left unsheltered.
We will always have a place of refuge with our Father because we are His child (John 1:12). This morning, as I was pondering on the fruit
bearing part of this Morning's Manna, I asked the Lord how to bear fruit. It was a simple conversation in which I
just got the feeling that I would go about my day and He would find the opportunities for me to bear some fruit.
Well, I had to go to the doctor. I don't really like going to the doctor but I am thankful for the wisdom that God
has given to some of them. Oh that they would all look to the Great Physician for healing anointing and gifting!
Not only did I have to go to the doctor, I had to go to an office that he has to which I don't like to drive. He has
an office near my home but I couldn't get an appointment there in a timely manner. Anyway, I went (a bit resentfully
to tell the truth). However, God created clear roads for me with not much traffic. God is good to us in so many
ways. I opened the door and there sat a woman that I was sure I knew. Before I had a pulmonary embolism last
September, I went to some nursing homes and sang with and for them and encouraged them with visits and the Word of
God. Since that time, I have not done it because I have not felt physically able - yet. Anyway, this woman
was a patient from the nursing home and she had an appointment at the same time I did. She was sitting alone and
I began to talk with her, she remembering me (amazingly). We had a wonderful reunion and she asked why I didn't come
back to sing. All of a sudden, I realized that God had given me the chance to bear some fruit. It wasn't in a place
that I had chosen but a place He had chosen. Another of His children was placed right next to me in a very (as
the world would say) coincidental way. It was no coincidence. I was able to chat with her, bless her and she
me. God allowed some fruit bearing to go on right there in the doctor's office (which, by the way, often tests
my patience because I don't like to wait). Did you know that you are chosen and appointed to bear fruit? John 15:16-17 (NLT) 16 You
didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever
you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. The
garden could be anywhere: a doctor's office, the grocery store, your employment, school, just any place.
Why? Because the Master Gardener lives in us and He knows who and where the fruit needs to grow. As I left
the office, my friend took my hands and kissed them. That is what Jesus commanded as we bear fruit - to love one another.
We can't decide to bear fruit. We just cling to the vine and remember that He has chosen us to produce fruit.
As we do that, it will just pop out sweet and fragrant, at His appointed time and will. Speaking of going back to a ministry in the nursing home. Perhaps this was God prodding me to step
out in faith even though I don't physically feel like I can do it. What is it that He may be prodding you to do
and arranging the circumstances to both encourage you and urge you? I don't know yet what the purpose of that
meeting I had this morning was but I know it wasn't to leave a urine specimen. Oh, I did that. But, the
real purpose was that divine meeting that will bear lasting fruit and have lasting consequences. You see, a few
hours after I left the office, they called and said they had thrown the specimen away by accident so I have to go back tomorrow
to leave another one. I wonder what God has in store for tomorrow. For today, a urine specimen was not on His
mind, obviously. It was my friend, "Quin," and an opportunity for me to be an encouragement to her and
her to me! If I am supposed to go back to doing ministry at the nursing homes, here is what God promises. Philippians 4:13 (NLT) 13 For
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. It's for sure that I cannot do this ministry
at this time in my own strength or frame of mind. If I do it, it will have to be totally by faith in the fact that
I can do whatever it is that God is calling me to do, by faith. He is saying the same thing to you this morning.
There may be something you would like to do but fear or weakness has kept you from stepping out to do it. If God calls
you, He will equip you with the strength and courage you need to do it! I am now preaching to myself but I'm sure
that there are some of you out there who just might get the drift of what I am saying. God defines us
as people who are free, able to bear fruit, confident and strong. And, oh, there is so much more. It's all because
of Him. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. No need for getting a swelled head because we
are all that! Just a need to reverentially fear the God who has made us all that and also has the power to take
all of that from us! He wants to give us more and more if we will humbly, gratefully, and fruitfully use what He has
put in us! In the fear of the Lord we have strong confidence and a permanent refuge. He takes care of what
He makes! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 23, 2010 WHO WE ARE IS PRETTY AMAZING! Psalm 8:3-5 (AMP) 3 When
I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You
care for him? 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings],
and You have crowned him with glory and honor. "Amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. Was blind
but now I see." Some of the old hymns say so much in just a couple of lines. We sometimes think of
ourselves as less than we are. Of course, sometimes we think of ourselves as more than we are too. Romans 12:3 (AMP) 3 For by
the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly
than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each
according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. We are warned not to think too highly of ourselves.
I think the key word here is, "ourselves." We've got to remember that we are just dust balls, created out
of a lump of clay. Psalm 103:14-18 (KJV) Did you remember when you woke up this morning that you are established, anointed, and sealed by God? 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (KJV) 21 Now
he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who
hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. To be quite honest with you,
that wasn't the first thought on my mind this morning. In fact, I can hardly remember the first thought on my mind
except that I needed to wake up and I was having a hard time. This is not the greatest frame of mind to be in
when opening your eyes to the miracle of a new day and seeing that God has been faithful to make the sun come up for you
once more! If I could remember, all of the time, that I am established, life would go more smoothly. The little
glitches that come along wouldn't make me stumble because I know that I am established by the King of Kings, Himself!
And, yes, I am anointed (even though there are times when my faith waivers and I wonder about that fact). I should
not wonder. I should just remember it and trust in God that the anointing He has placed in me is unique and to
be used just for His purposes. There is no one else on this earth that has the same anointing as I do and no one else
that has the anointing God has given you either. We have this anointing from Him so that His Kingdom will work
well and function as it should. Yes, we are anointed and we need to remember that and be satisfied with the anointing
God has chosen to give us. No comparing with others. His anointing on us is for good and it will work marvelously
when we cooperate with Him in it! Established. Anointed. And, sealed! Because of the Holy
Spirit, you and I, if we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are sealed. What does that mean? In general
terms it means we are stamped (as with God's signet ring or His private mark). We are secure and preserved. Another
thing that interested me about this word sealed is that, by implication, we are kept secret. I don't pretend to know
or try to tell you what that means but I am thinking that God has kept me secret and invisible sometimes when it comes to
the devil's attempts to get me to forget who I am in Christ. I believe God has kept me secret and invisible when an
accident was about to happen and I escaped! Although it may not mean that at all, I am feeling secure this morning
that I am established, anointed, and then sealed (so that anointing can't get away) by my God! If things don't look
so good, I've got to call on what I know and so do you. We're quite amazing because God has been mindful of us and
kept us for the duration. Secretly established sealed, anointed and all, within His loving Hands! Because I am anointed and established, I also know that all things
are going to work out for the good in my life and for God's Kingdom as I walk in the anointing (the purpose God has for me.)
Romans 8:28 (KJV) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Of course, none of this would be
possible if I did not recognize Jesus as my Lord and Savior and love Him! Why do you suppose that God is working
out everything for good in our established, anointed, and sealed lives? It's because He is conforming us to the
image of His own Son! Romans 8:29-30 (KJV) 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom
he justified, them he also glorified. For starting out as dust balls, God has been doing some amazing
and miraculous things in us, hasn't He! There are things that come into our lives that help conform us to the
image of Christ that we don't always appreciate. Even though Jesus took our sin and gave us abundant
life, we sometimes forget that He was called a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3 (AMP) 3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man
of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised,
and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. We want all the good stuff, don't we?
We don't really like it when the Potter has to break us and put us back on the wheel again to make us more like His
Son. Jesus took the full load of all of these things but He also said that, in this world, we would have trouble.
John 16:33 (AMP) 33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have
[perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good
cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm
you and have conquered it for you.] Being established, anointed and sealed is a great privilege
and it makes us know we are secure. However, we might not always feel secure as the conforming process
takes place in the secret place of the Potter's wheel. We may have to face some sorrow, grief, pain, and sickness.
Jesus did. But, He promised to take the greater load. If today, you are sure that you are established, anointed
and sealed, but things don't seem to be lining up the way you think they should. Keep knowing.
If God said it, it's true. If you are weary, come to Jesus. He said He would carry the heaviest part of the yoke
(or burden). He said, He would lead the way. He would be the head of the team. It's for sure,
because God said so. All things will work together for good because the amazing thing is that
us, "dust balls," are established, anointed, sealed, loving God and walking according to His purpose, being conformed
to the image of His perfect Son! What an amazing and miraculous change - from dusty to glorified! Praise the
Lord for His Word that assures us of who we are in Him. Not who we are by ourselves or who we are according to
the world's definition, but who we are, as we are being conformed to the image of Christ. The neat thing is that,
right now, God sees the finished product. Be encouraged! Be all that God has made you to be and be thankful that
He has done all of this for us because of His great love! Pretty amazing! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 20, 2010 YES, WE ARE ALL THAT AND MORE! Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV) 26 And
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over
the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male
and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful,
and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. The Lord didn't make junk when He created us. Admittedly, we can take what He made and turn it into
something it was not made to be, but that, of course, is not His will. In the past two days we have discussed
who we are in Christ. Who we are if we have received Jesus as our Savior and found that we now have a restored
relationship with our Father. We've already discussed at least eight positive things that we are but sometimes we forget
the power, love, and other things that are in us, that make us who we are so I'm taking time to remember some of those
things. Today, I will remember, and hopefully you will want to remember with me, one more of those things that
define who we are. One of the things I forget quite often is that I am no longer under any condemnation.
Romans 8:1-2 (KJV) 1 There is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. Because God has placed His Spirit within us, we have the power to walk in the
Spirit and not after the flesh. That does not mean that we will not falter at times and need to ask for forgiveness.
1 John 2:1-2 (KJV) 1 My little children,
these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world. Thank God, Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but
to save it. To save you and me. John 3:17-18 (KJV) 17 For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. One thing that defines you
and me is forgiveness. There is NOW no condemnation in us. How could there be if Jesus lives within us?
If we choose not to believe in the power of His love and grace to forgive and save, we are condemned. We will continue
a pattern of evil which will end up in death and eternal destruction. Psalm 34:21-22 (AMP) 21 Evil
shall cause the death of the wicked; and they who hate the just and righteous shall be held guilty and shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge
and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty. Because you and I are choosing to believe in Jesus
and His love and forgiveness for us, we won't be condemned or held guilty. He will redeem our lives. On
the other hand those who choose to ignore such a gift will condemn themselves by their continual wickedness and their hatred
for the just and righteous. They shall be held guilty and condemned. Think of all the, "religions,"
in the world (including those who have called themselves Christians). Have many religions chosen to condemn those
who do not believe as they do and then carried out wickedness upon people who are just and righteous? In case you are
not sure of this answer, the answer is, "yes." Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He did
not come to kill people. He came to save them. That is our job as His follower. Because we believe that
He has freed us from all condemnation, we have the power through the Holy Spirit to resist condemning others even if
they don't believe the truth of the gospel. We don't need to condemn them any more than Jesus did.
We need to pray that they will stop condemning themselves and truly believe. That's what defines us. We
are forgiven, free from condemnation and then sent out to take the saving gospel message of forgiveness to the rest of a
dying world. If they choose to believe, they will be saved. If they choose otherwise, they will have condemned
themselves. How sad to live under condemnation when forgiveness and eternal life is offered. We are truly blessed
because we are no longer under condemnation. We believe in Jesus and His forgiveness. Like any
child, we will make a mistake but our Heavenly Father is quick to forgive a chid who comes to say, "I'm sorry
and then turns the other direction." It is the conviction that comes out of who we know we are - a child
of God - that causes us to repent. It is the refusal of those who are bent on unbelief and wicked living that
causes them destruction. Aren't you glad that you are defined this day as one upon whom there is no condemnation?
Now, that's a big one! The next time the devil, the accuser of the brethren, tries to tell you to give up because
you didn't quite live up to what you knew you should as a Christian, tell him who you are. You can agree with
him that he's right about the thing you might have done but then you can also tell him that you have given it to Jesus,
repented and it is under the blood. Then put one foot in front of the other, continue walking in righteousness through
the Holy Spirit and show the world (and the devil) who you really are in Christ! We are made in God's image,
the image of love and forgiveness. It is His will that we should live in freedom from condemnation and freedom
from the condemnation of others. That's who we are! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 19, 2010 MORE OF REMEMBERING WHO WE ARE Psalm 119:16 (KJV) Yesterday we talked about five scriptural definitions of who we are in Christ. There are lots more.
Today I want to remind myself and remind you of some more of them lest we look to the world or listen to the devil's lies
and get a sort of amnesia about who we really are. Who we really are is great. It's not about our own ability
or anything we have done to achieve greatness. It's about who God says we are and it's about Who He is! He has
made us personal witnesses of who He is and of His Word (which is Jesus). That's one definition of who we are.
We can be a witness because we have seen what He has done in our lives. He has given us salvation when we were less
than deserving. He has stepped in and made a way out of no way when we were sure we were about to go under. He has
healed. He has touched. He has refreshed. He has relieved. We are a witness to all of these experiences
we have had with our Friend. We are also witnesses of what we have read and studied in His Word. Psalm 119:11-12 (KJV) 11 Thy
word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. We are not only witnesses of Jesus, we are the evidence of Who
He is in this world. We are salt and light! Matthew 5:13-16 (KJV) 13 Ye are the salt of
the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to
be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the
world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle,
and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven. You know, the devil knows who we are and he is constantly trying to get us to lose our saltiness
by trying to get us to cave into the traditions and ways of this world! We've got to remember that we are the
salt. We must remain salty or we will be worth nothing according to God's Word. Salt is there to preserve.
This earth and it's people need preservation. That's for sure! Salt is also good for helping things to taste better.
The witness we are will taste much better to the world if there is a bit of salt added! We're not just salt. We're
light. Oh, how the devil hates the light. He can't stay in it so what does he do? He tries to get us to hide ourselves
under a bushel so we can't shine. No way! God says to let our light shine on everyone. Let everyone
see that He is the Light working through these little lights of ours. Let them see that we are going about doing good
just like Jesus (who is the true Light of the world did). Acts 10:38 (AMP) 38 How
God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went
about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was
with Him. Jesus has given us His Spirit that we might go about doing good, just as He did. He lives
within us, therefore God is with us. That's who we are. We are powerful, anointed, consecrated people with strength
and ability and power that comes from the Holy Spirit that lives within us! Do we remember that often? More importantly,
does the world see who we really are so that they can see who He really is? Being a witness and being salt and light in this crazy world seems like a big job but that's exactly who
God says we are! He does help us by giving us another definition of who we are and this helps us with the privilege
and responsibility we have of being witnesses and salt and light. He says that we are members of the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMP) MORNING MANNA - JUNE 18, 2010 REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE 2 Peter 1:12-13 (NLT) There is so much to remember in this life!
As we grow from babies to pre-schoolers, we learn to sit up, to crawl, to walk, we learn words and concepts of
life. Then we go to school and learn about many subjects. We are expected to remember all these things and are
quite often tested on them. For me, the only way to really remember things is to keep on being reminded of them, to
meditate on them and get them fixed down deep in my heart. Peter didn't seem to think it was wrong to remind the saints
of the scriptures over and over again. He considered that to be part of his, "job," until God called
him home. I would encourage you today to remember who you are. The world will try to tell you who you should
be, what you should look like, how you should act, what you should say. The world will try to define you through
deceptive media and make you feel less than worthy if you do not meet those expectations. The devil is right in there,
whispering all of these things to you too. Trying to tell you who and what you are without any real factual basis.
He is interested in getting your emotions so mixed up that you don't know who you really are. We may even have
our own ideas of who we are and try to live out those ideas. Usually, at some point, we will find that this doesn't
work either. It could even lead to a meltdown. An e-mail has been circulating
for a long time and I am going to use that e-mail today to remind you and me of who we are. The only One qualified
to tell us who we really are is the One who made us! Do you believe that? If you have given your heart to Jesus,
I will now remind you of who you are. And, the truth is that this is not all you are, but it's enough to get you started
out on a positive foot this morning and help you through each day knowing that you don't have to compare yourself to
anyone else and you don't have to meet your own impossible expectations. You are who you are and this is what God
says about that. You are God's child. John 1:12-13 (NLT) 12 But to all who believed
him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not
with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. Now,
you may have been born into unfortunate earthly circumstances. You may not have had the best parents or you may have
been abused, neglected or even abandoned by your parents. But, God's word says that you are His child.
Because of Jesus, you have been born again. You are no longer defined by that biological family who may not have
met your needs or nurtured you. You now have the most Perfect Parent anyone could have. You are God's
child. You are also God's friend. John 15:14-17 (NLT) 14 You
are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because
a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting
fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This
is my command: Love each other. It may be that you have some earthly, "best friends."
Love them and bless them whenever you get the opportunity. They are truly God's treasure to us. Love your enemies
too because that's what Jesus commands. But, the greatest treasure is that, whether we have an earthly friend at all,
we have Jesus to be our friend if we follow His commands. There can be no better friend than Jesus. Our dearest
earthly friends can fail and disappoint us without even knowing it. We are all weak and we don't have the capacity
that Jesus has to meet every need of our friends. Jesus is a Friend that will meet every need we have with
consistency and love. You may have had some wonderful earthly friends that have deserted you, so to speak. They
have had to move to another geographical location or the Lord may have taken them Home to be with Him. This will leave
a void in your life but our best Friend, Jesus, has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He will fill
whatever void we have in our lives if we will let Him in. You and I are united with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 (NLT) 15 Don’t you realize
that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute?
Never! 16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute,
he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” 17
But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. Being united with the
Lord is a most holy privilege. We need to realize that He is not united with just anybody. Only those who will
confess Him as Lord. We should, therefore, not engage in things like prostitution, pornography, crude speaking,
negative thinking or any other thing that is not something that would go against Jesus, the one to Whom we are united.
Being united to Jesus is both a privilege and a responsibility! We are bought with a price! If the
price would not have been paid, we would belong to the devil and end up in destruction but Jesus paid the price! A
great price, indeed. That just shows us how much He loves us and how special we are to Him. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) 19 Don’t you realize
that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
We have received such a great gift of salvation and the privilege of being the home of the Holy Spirit but
our responsibility is to keep this, "temple," in order. We must honor God with our body and everything we
do with it! Another thing we are is a saint. Lots of people would disagree with this and not receive it but if
God says it, I believe it. And He does say that you and I are saints. The Apostle Paul wrote to the, "saints,"
in the church in Ephesus and his writing was passed along to us in the scripture. Ephesians 1:1-2 (KJV) Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Just
what is a saint? It is, according to Vine's Dictionary, a believer. Not just someone of exceptional holiness
or someone who has died and been deemed to be a saint. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 (KJV) 10 When
he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you
was believed) in that day. Jesus is coming again to be glorified in his saints (that's us believers).
That's who we are, saints! Now, these are just a few things for us to remember to keep us encouraged and to keep our mind
focused on who we really are. We are Gods child, His friend, united with Him, bought with a price and a saint!
That's five things that describe who you really are. If today, the devil or the world tries to tell you anything contrary
to those things, refuse those thoughts and take the captive. Give them to Christ and let Him remind you of these five
things that you really are. More is coming but, for today, this is enough to focus on. It may make us take
some thought as to what we have been thinking of ourselves and about who we are that is contrary to the truth of God.
As my mother used to say, J'ever think about that?" Remember who you really are! God is the One
who defines who we really are! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 17, 2010 WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING? Exodus 14:14 (AMP) Just
what are you holding today? Are you holding grief? Are you holding anxiety about a financial situation?
Are you holding jealousy? Are you holding anger against something that someone has done to you? Are you holding
on to the past (either the good things or the bad things)? Are you holding on to your own strategies for fighting
life's many battles? Look what the Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel (Exodus 14:14) They were to hold their peace! Don't you think that is what the Lord is telling you and me today?
It's pretty hard to hold peace (for the peace of God is great and spiritually heavy) when we're trying to hold on to
all those things I mentioned above and I'm sure I didn't even begin to describe some of the things I have been trying to
hold on to! Maybe you too! God wanted His people to know that, in their battle (and in all of our battles,)
He will fight for us. All we need to do is hold our peace and remain in His rest. Jesus has so graciously called
us all who are weary from the battles that seem to come from everywhere to come to Him and find rest. Matthew 11:28 (AMP) 28 Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh
your souls.] When we're busy trying to hold on to and control everything but the peace that God gives
and the rest and relief He offers, we can't even receive it. The enemy has distracted our minds so much that we have
forgotten that Jesus said we would have trouble in this world but that He had overcome the world and given us His peace.
The peace that we are supposed to hold is in Him, in spite of the battles we face! John 16:33 (NLT) 33 I
have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart,
because I have overcome the world.” What are you holding on to right now? Is it His peace
or the many trials and sorrows this world has to offer. You can't hold on to both at the same time! God is fighting for us and if God is for us, nobody and nothing else can be
against us! Romans 8:31 (AMP) One translation puts it this way: Exodus 14:13-14 (NLT) 13 But Moses told
the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today
will never be seen again. 14 The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
What is it that might be causing you fear today? God says, "do not fear." What is trying
to make you yield to that fight or flight syndrome? The Lord says, "just stand still." What is it that
makes you think that you are so much, "all that," that you can rescue your own self from any problems you might
have? God is the only One who is "all that." God is the One who will fight for you if you will receive
His peace and rest and get out of His way! What is causing you anxiety? God says, "just stay calm."
Yesterday, I received a call from a very close family member who is dealing with anxiety issues that are affecting many
members of the family. The Spirit of the Lord reminded me that this person has always dealt with unfounded fears.
But, God has not given us a spirit of fear. Instead, He has given us a sound mind. I can let myself get caught
up in this anxiety-ridden situation or I can cast all these cares upon the Lord and know that He cares for me and for
every member of my family. I can remember for myself and for those who will listen that God has promised His own peace
that will pass all of our human understanding. He is fully able to step into this situation and insert His peace
in place of pandemonium. Philippians 4:7 (AMP) 7 And God’s peace
[shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and
being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison
and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. God has given us His peace to guard (just
like body guards guard an important person) our minds and our hearts. I choose that peace. Do you?
What are you holding right now? Anxiety over family members or other issues in your life? Drop them in favor
of that peace that you won't even be able to understand but, suddenly, you will know that God's angels of peace have
surrounded your heart and mind until you almost have that feeling that you don't even care any more! That's it!
Cast all your cares on Him. He cares for you. You are an important person. So important that God wants
to guard your heart and mind with His own peace. Will you drop everything else and let Him do that? He
has offered you and me, if we believe in Him, a peace that we could never find in this world. John 14:27 (AMP) 27 Peace
I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your
hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit
yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] The Israelites were in a precarious
situation and so might you and I be this morning. However, Jesus said that He left HIS peace with us. Nowhere
in the world will it be found. It is only found in the hearts of those who trust Him. Therefore, we don't need
to be troubled or afraid - of anything or anyone! We need to stop allowing ourselves to be agitated and disturbed,
cowardly and unsettled. We need not be intimidated or fearful for God has told us numerous times in scripture
not to be afraid. He has promised that He has not given us that spirit of fear. If you have that, it is from
the devil. Drop it. Cast it down in Jesus name and hold your peace that comes from Jesus! What a relief. His
peace is so full of everything that we need that it's very heavy in a glorious way. On the other hand, it is
so light that we will find ourselves being relieved of burdens that we are not supposed to be holding on to because Jesus
said to give them to Him. What are you holding this morning? MORNING MANNA - JUNE 16, 2010 THE WORD FOR THE DAY IS, "FAITHFUL." Genesis 39:21 (NLT) Yes! The word for today (and everyday),
is, "faithful." I have had that confirmed several times in listening to sermons and in conversations with
other believers lately. There are two ways to think about the word, "faithful." One is God's faithfulness
to us. The other is our faithfulness to God. In Genesis 39:21, I doubt whether Joseph was feeling like God was faithful to him. He was in prison for
something he didn't even do. But, but..... The Lord was with Joseph, even in the prison and the Lord showed Joseph
His faithful love! Today, with all the stuff going on in our lives and around us, we may feel like we're in some sort
of prison. There may be figurative bars that keep us from doing what we feel we need to do. They may hold us
back from something we feel God has told us to do. They may cause depression and cause us to just sit in the corner
of that cell and feel sorry for ourselves and helpless. Or, they may cause us to be angry and beat our head against
those bars in an attempt to break them; which will only cause us a bloody head, along with a headache. If you are feeling
like you're in some sort of prison that is keeping you locked out of real and abundant life, remember this. The Lord
was with Joseph in the prison and the Lord showed Joseph His faithful love. Now, whether you are sitting in a corner
looking down and feeling left alone and depressed or whether you are the angry one butting your head against those bars,
STOP. Open your eyes! Look up! God is faithful to you and He wants to show you His faithful love but you
won't be able to see it if you're focused on your depression or anger. Jesus came to set the captives free. Luke 4:18-19 (NLT) 18 “The Spirit
of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives
will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and
that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” So, if there are some sort of bars in
your life, ask for that freedom. As He sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 (KJV) 36 If
the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Now, hopefully, if you have never received Jesus and asked Him for freedom from the captivity of your sin,
you will have just done so in this moment. In the case of Joseph (and sometimes in our own prisons), the bars
do not fall down right away. God did not deliver Joseph from the prison walls right away but He did show
Joseph His faithful love right there inside the prison. There's no greater testimony than us being faithful to God
even in the midst of a great test! We can do that because God's faithfulness to us is never ending. It may not
always feel like it, but it is. We may not see the effects of the good He has in store for us right at the moment we want
to see it, but His faithfulness is there! Deuteronomy 7:9 (AMP) 9 Know, recognize,
and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy
with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, Joseph had been through
many tests in his young life; awful things that will probably never happen to you and me. However, Joseph did not
give up on God. He was faithful to God in obedience. Twisted as it sounds, that's why Joseph was in prison!
Many are in prisons all over the world today and tortured unmercifully because of their faithfulness to God and, if you
asked them if He was faithful to them, they would undoubtedly answer, "Yes." Despite what they are going
through their faith would tell them that God is faithful to them and they determine to be faithful to Him, even unto death,
if need be. Revelation 2:9-11 (NLT) 9 “I
know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say
they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t
be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for
ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. 11
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death. Would that be my faithful response?
Would it be yours? Getting back to Joseph, who was in prison,
God showed Joseph His loving faithfulness. If we look around today, no matter what situation we might be in, we will
be able to see God's faithfulness toward us. If you woke up today and you are able to read this, God is showing
you His faithfulness. It probably was not easy for Joseph to be in prison but God's faithfulness can even override
the uneasiness in our problems and trials, even in those prisons (which, by the way, we sometimes create all by ourselves).
God showed special favor upon Joseph because God is always faithful to His children. God gave Joseph favor with
the warden of the prison. Now, Joseph had special privileges that the other prisoners did not have because God
was being faithful to Joseph who had refused to be unfaithful to God! Even in unpleasant situations, we must remember
that these are temporary seasons. Joseph would not remain in prison forever. It probably felt like it to
him, but it was not so because God's children are always triumphant because of His faithfulness. Sometimes our prisons
are pre-arranged, not to hurt us, but to put us in a position for promotion. That's the way it was for Joseph.
The story turns out better than anyone could imagine but Joseph had to trust God's faithfulness, even during the times he
had to press through terrible situations and Joseph had to remain faithful to God and obedient to His Word (which he did).
So, no matter what the situation for us is today, tomorrow or any day, "faithful," is the word for the day.
God's faithfulness to us is always going to be there. Our faithfulness to Him depends on our ability and willingness
to get out of our pity party, open our eyes to the Light of His faithfulness and then step into that Light and be faithful
to Him. Will it always be easy? No sirree! It wasn't for Joseph but will God give us the strength
to remain faithful even before He lets down the bars of those prisons? You betcha! Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13 I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. If you find yourself in some sort of prison
today (even if it is one that you have made all by yourself), and, if you are still having trouble remaining faithful to
God and remembering that He is always faithful to you, remember the following verses. Then lift up your eyes, take in
His loving faithfulness and pour out your faithfulness to Him. Luke 1:37 (AMP) 37 For with God nothing
is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. And this
one, Matthew 19:26 (KJV) 26 But
Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Not
even prison bars can keep God's faithfulness from you and me or keep our faithfulness from reaching Him! The word for
the day is, "faithful." MORNING MANNA - JUNE 15, 2010 WHOM DO WE EXALT? 9 And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom,
10 but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would. It doesn't really matter which earthly nation
we belong to if we are believers in Christ. Our true citizenship is in Heaven. However, the way the government
of our earthly nation chooses to operate does make a difference. Also, the way we, as individuals, choose to operate
will make a difference. There is not a nation that exists in our world, or ever has existed, without God allowing
it to exist. It is His will that all nations (all individuals, since nations are made up of individuals) pay homage
to Him and exalt Him. Not just with what they say or write on their currency but with the way they live and by the
goodness of Christ in their heart. Matthew 15:7-9 (KJV) 7 Ye
hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, The Lord wants to do good to His children,
all of His children from America to Zimbabwe and in between. But, He does want them to recognize that they are His children
and to obey Him as any good child would obey a parent. His gifts are great and more amazing than we can ask or believe.
That's just the kind of Father He is. He desperately wants to shower the world with those gifts if they will
recognize that He alone is God. Deuteronomy 10:21 (NLT) 21 He alone is your
God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own
eyes. Right now, it may be that some of you are saying to me (or yourselves), "Yes, but God
was talking to Israel." Yes. You are right. He was, but there is are principles involved. God alone
is our God whether we believe it or not. Acts 17:28 (NLT) 28 For in him we live
and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ It is because
of God that you and I are living, moving and breathing! God is the only one worthy of our praise. He is worthy
of our praise because He is just and His principles for living are good for His children.And, He loves us! However, some
people have decided that they know what's best for themselves and they are bringing destruction on themselves and their
nations (no matter what nation we might be talking about). Romans 1:24-25 (NLT) 24 So
God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things
with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie.
So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Large
groups of people have begun to abuse their own bodies and the bodies of others, to live in unnatural ways. Even
to kill innocent children before their little eyes have a chance to see this world that God created for them. God
is not pleased with any nation that turns away from Him in such a manner and, in His own time, if the individuals of that
nation, do not repent and seek Him, He will bring judgment and destruction on them. God is the one who has done mighty miracles in our lives, whether we be from
Israel or America (or anywhere else in this world). The blessings we have all experienced, wherever we live, are
from Him. That's why He, alone is worthy of our praise. We should have a balanced respect and love for the country
we live in and for its flag but we should never exalt our own rules and intellectual ideas over those that God has given
us in scripture. We can say anything we want to say about being Christian, but if we don't follow God's principles,
it's going to show in the way we live. Whether anyone else sees it or not, God is going to see it. We can
even go to church and raise our hands in a show of worship to exalt God but, if our hearts are not right, it will mean nothing
to Him. In fact, it just may bring more judgment upon us because we will be proving that we are living a lie.
How many of us, when we were children, did not believe that our parents would discipline us for doing something that
they said was unacceptable? I would say, not many! How much more do we think that, as created beings of
God (His beloved created children), our Father does not mean what He says when He asks for obedience and for us to exalt
Him above everything else? Yes, everything and everyone else. Everything from our country and it's
flag to the name of our church denomination, to our children, to our spouse, to our pets, to our material possessions,
etc. You name it! These principles are outlined in Jeremiah 18:5-13 (NLT) 5 Then the LORD gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in
the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. 7 If I announce that a certain nation
or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, 8 but then that nation renounces
its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. 9 And if I announce that I
will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, 10 but then that nation turns
to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would. 11 “Therefore,
Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am planning disaster for
you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’” 12
But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly
following our own evil desires.” 13 So this is what the LORD says: “Has
anyone ever heard of such a thing, even among the pagan nations? My virgin daughter Israel has done something terrible!
Just how do you want God to look at the nation in which you live? Certainly not as He looked at those Israelites who
ignored their Father, living in their own stubborn ways. Is it time to re-think our priorities? Is it time
to truly exalt God in our lives and in our hearts? Is it time to pray for the nation we live in and become exemplary
citizens as we live out God's principles? This may sound negative and not encouraging but, folks, the blessings
of God come to the good and the bad but they are poured out without measure on His obedient children. So, please
take this as an encouragement and study and meditate on His Word, giving Him the exaltation He deserves with your heart
and with your life. I am going to try to do the same thing. When He sees such a turn from the evil ways of this
world, He just may postpone or cancel judgment and pour out some of the blessings we desperately need today! Just
whom do we exalt? Ourselves and our own ways? Or, God and His ways that please Him and bring His blessings
upon us? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 14, 2010 WE CAN'T GIVE WHAT WE DON'T HAVE John 7:38 (KJV) If you are like me, you would like to give someone who is a homeless a home, someone who has never
been on a vacation, a cruise, someone who has no food, food enough to last a lifetime. If you have ever watched the
TV programs that show children having to drink dirty water that gives them disease and creates early death, then
you would like to give them clean water. When you see a person in need of something material, you would like
to provide it. Sometimes, when you walk away, unable to provide it, you feel heart-broken. You can't provide
the thing they need because you don't have the means. You don't have what it takes. You can't give away something
that you don't have. Jesus proclaimed that He was the living water when He spoke to the Samaritan woman at
the well. John 4:10-11 (KJV) 10 Jesus
answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest
have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. He is that water, so He
had no trouble giving that water away, as much as anyone would need. 11
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou
that living water? Of course, like we do most of the time, the Samaritan woman was thinking in
natural terms. She had to go to the well each day and carry that heavy water pail from the well
back to the town. Now she is looking at Jesus, realizing that He doesn't even have a bucket to draw water from the
well. What could He possibly be talking about? Have you ever thought you heard Jesus talking to you about you
doing something impossible and wondered what He could possibly mean? The woman didn't understand right away.
She had to have more conversation with Jesus before she really realized what, "living water," was. Before
she realized who HE was! But then, she understood, received that water and ran to the town without her bucket,
but full of water that would satisfy many people! It's interesting,
isn't it that Jesus chose to reveal Himself as the living water and as the Messiah to a woman? A woman of
a different race, and a woman who wasn't exactly the model citizen of the town she lived in? Jesus will reveal
Himself to anyone who will stay long enough to get to know Him! Once we stay with Him, talk to Him for a while, realize
all that He is, including the living water, we know exactly where to get the provision we need. Not just for ourselves,
but more than enough to share with others. So, this morning, it doesn't matter who you are or what you've
done in life, there is living water for you and all those around you if you will just stay at the Well long enough to learn
about it and receive it! We may not be able to give homes to the homeless, vacations to those who need a rest, or other
material things that we so desire to give, but we can give living water to anyone who is thirsty because Jesus
said that, when we receive His Spirit, that living water will flow from us. I mean really pour, if we are willing to
let it out. It will come out of us in rivers. This morning I heard someone say that it could be a river
of healing, a river of financial help, a river of reconciliation of relationships. Whatever we need, that living water
will flow and bring it. Nothing is impossible with God. It very well could be that He will bless us so much
that we can start giving homes to the homeless and food to those who are hungry. There is nothing missing
in God's Kingdom. He has more than enough for everyone and everything He created. But, we have to be willing
to be vessels from whom things can flow. There can't be a plug in the pipeline so that we end up keeping everything God
gives us! But, the truth is, that we can't give what we don't have. This
has to do with the living water that God want's to make flow through us in mighty rivers. It also has to do with love.
Do you remember that God loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you, even though you were His enemy at the
time? Romans 5:10-11 (NLT) 10 For
since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be
saved through the life of his Son. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 13, 2010 WE WILL MAKE MISTAKES Romans 8:28 (KJV) While is seems obvious to me that Romans 8:28 has a much deeper spiritual meaning and effect on our lives than I am going to write about this morning,
it also seems clear to me that it has to do with the entirety of our lives, spiritual, mental, emotional, and practically.
The purpose for God to work things together for us who love Him and are called according to His purpose is found in Romans 8:29 (KJV) 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. There
could be nothing better than for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus! We will make mistakes but He didn't ever make
a mistake. There will be a time in this process of God conforming us to the image of His Son when we are completely
like Him and live with Him forever. In the meantime, it is a process. The end of the process is found in
Romans 8:30 (KJV) 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,
them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. We
can now only see our justification and glorification by faith. But. one day we will see it as it is. We will
look at Jesus face to face. We will find that we are just like Him. What happens in the process? I don't know if Jesus had a bank account (I doubt it) or if He
kept His own financial records (I doubt it, since Judas seemed to be in charge of that). But, I do have a
bank account (and I'm sure you do too). Unless you are quite well off, you probably keep your
own financial records. I do. I also have a cell phone. I'm sure Jesus did not have one of those!
Why would He need one anyway. He already knew everything! Besides thinking about strategizing our financial
affairs, I also have to keep up with the cell phone technology if I want to stay connected (to the world, that
is). So, I keep my cell phone charger plugged in on the headboard of my bed and plug in the cell phone each night
to charge it. Even though I leave it set on, "vibrate," sometimes I wake up when a message comes in.
My e-mail comes in to my cell phone, as well as text messages and regular telephone calls. Last night I awoke to
one of those, "vibrations," succumbed to checking the message on the phone, and found that the mortgage payment
(also done electronically through the bank) had not been paid because I had insufficient funds! Now, that's not the
normal way I do business. I'm not a check-bouncer! I knew there would be enough money in there yesterday
to pay the mortgage because my husband had gotten paid (also electronically through the bank). What I forgot
was that, in the heat of trying to get our house in another state ready for rental, I had written a hefty check to a repairman.
Since I count on the bank to keep my records straight because I rarely write a check anymore, it slipped my mind
that I had written one! I made a mistake. A big one! Now this is a mistake that has to do with practical
life here on earth but there are mistakes, called sin, that we make in our spiritual life too. You know, I am having a hard time separating my spiritual life from my
practical life. I'm beginning to know that, because I belong to Jesus, I'm in the process of being conformed to
His image in all ways. Spiritual and practical. I am (in God's sight) forgiven, called, justified and glorified.
He sees the finished product. Last night, when I saw the "bad news," on the phone message, I felt pretty
bad. Really bad. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to fix it. Still not all the way sure. In
my tendency to fall into depression and the, "I'm just so stupid." mode, I remembered that God works ALL things
out for the good because I love Him and I am called according to His purpose. Okay, so I messed up on my financial
stuff. My strategies may not have been as good as they could have. Maybe I even left Jesus out of some of the planning,
not intentionally, but it happened Maybe He had a better way that would not have brought me so much humiliation
and bank changes if I had followed it. But, the fact is that, even in my mistakes (and this is a small one compared to
some of the spiritual mistakes I have made), God is working everything to the good. He is conforming me to the image
of His Son. He still sees me as called, loving Him, justified and glorified. I want to encourage you this morning.
If things look bad (and even if you made some sort of mistake - large or small), God sees you the same way as He sees me.
Called, loving Him, justified and glorified. The finished product. One day we will see ourselves that way.
In the meantime, faith leads us through the conforming process. When we hear voices like, "You dummy, how could
you do such a thing," we know they do not come from the Lord. Now the Lord may let us bear some consequences from mistakes
in order to help us learn to do better next time but, to Him, we are loved and being processed into something
more wonderful than we can believe, the image of His own Son, no matter what mistakes we may have made. God truly
is working all things out for good if we love Him and are the called according to His purpose. He doesn't let our
mistakes thwart his good plans for us. Somehow He works everything out! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 12, 2010 WHO'S YOUR BEST FRIEND? Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) Friends are very important to have and they are fun
to have. They share your joys and your tears and, if they are good friends, they will be there even when you
find yourself in a mess of your own making. One of my daughters was a, "social butterfly," in her younger
years. No matter that she had several brothers and sisters. She was interested in friends. She always
wanted to be out with her, "friends." However, these so-called friends were always in some turmoil.
It was more like a clique or a few cliques. You were either, "in," or, "out." It could have been
just because you didn't have the right designer jeans. She was always crying over what so and so said about her.
They did have some fun together but these friends seemed to be the center of her life. Of course, if she really needed
something, I doubt if any of them would have been there to help. They were young and most of them had families that
provided everything they needed so I'm assuming that the other little girls would run home to their parents crying the blues
about what one of the others said about her or how she was overlooked at the latest get-together. As we get older, friends get more important, I think. I know lots and lots of people but
there are only a few that I can really talk to know that they will accept me just where I am. I have grown to
treasure these few friends. A few years ago, my friend, whom I had known since we were two years old were getting close
to celebrating our sixtieth birthdays. Even though we were aging, we still had plenty of life and were looking forward
to sharing with one another of the joys of our families and life experiences. Then, just before she turned sixty,
a brain tumor took her life. She is now with the Lord. When I turned sixty, it wasn't so much fun because I couldn't
share it with her. There is a little part of my life that is empty now because I can't e-mail her or pick up the
phone and call her. When things didn't look so good, the Lord told me to go to her. She was in a California
hospital and I had just moved to Texas where I was busy and tired unpacking boxes. The urge from the Spirit was so
strong that I purchased airline tickets, left the next day, was picked up at midnight by her son-in-law, and ushered into
the ICU ward where she lay unable to do much of anything. But, when she saw me she struggled to say, "I
love you." As we talked a little while, her strength came up a bit and we laughed over old times like when we
cut each other's hair when our mom's were not looking and other such funny things. It so happened that, when I got
to the hospital, I didn't think they would let me in, in the middle of the night, so I said to the nurse in charge, "I'm
her best friend." Now that was quite pretentious on my part since I don't really know if she considered me to
be her best friend. In actuality, she was my best friend. She was the one who always went the extra
mile. From the time we were two years old, she had cared for me, helped me through financial hard times,
emotional hard times and we had our share of fun times together. I was in awe that she would use her last bit of energy
to tell me that she loved me! I'm glad I followed the urging of the Lord because, the next day she was unresponsive.
Her family let me stay in her room alone with her while they went out for a break and I sang the old hymns to her and
reminded her of scripture even though I did not see a response. I believe we were still connected by the Holy Spirit.
That evening she went to be with the Lord. Who is your best friend?
Are there not times in some of our lives when we feel like we don't really have a best friend? However, if
we have received Jesus, we have that, "best friend." He will stick closer than a brother. Sometimes we're
not as close to our siblings as we would like to be and sometimes they can't or won't help when we really need someone.
But, there is One who will. His Name is Jesus. He is my best Friend. The wonder of it all is that
He calls us His friends! John 15:14-17 (KJV) 14 Ye
are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not
servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard
of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever
ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 11, 2010 IT IS WHAT IT IS Exodus 3:14 (AMP) I
have often heard people use the phrase, "It is what it is." This phrase has most often been a sort of negative
way of coping with things that do not go the way people think they should be going. I want to turn that around in
my life today. Yes, it is what it is! It is not what it feels like. It is not what it looks like.
It is what it is! So, what is it? The answer is the same no matter what situation we are going through and no
matter how we feel. It is not an it. He is a He. He is the "I AM," of whatever it is that we
need at any given moment. Yes, the circumstance is what it is. The feeling is what it is but the great, "I
AM," can and will circumvent the circumstance and feeling if we will ask Him! How awesome is that - that,
"It is what it is," can be turned around to the Creator of the world trumping that statement by telling us
individually, "I AM what I AM. The circumstances may not seemingly be going in our favor.
Our feelings may be obstinate and try to keep us in a depressed mode but is it really what it is? Or, have we looked
to the "I AM what I AM? Actually, it is what it is
in a positive way. His Word will always be true and it is what it is. It does what it says. Are you fearful
today? It is not what it feels like. It is what it is. God has not given you that spirit of fear.
(2 Timothy 1:7) In fact, God has not created you to be a coward and cringe at every challenging situation. It is
what it is. God has given you a spirit of power and of love and of a clam and well-balanced mind! That's
what it really is! How about the economy we live in in this world? Although we live here in the earth,
we, as believers, are actually citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. There is no economic downturn there and there never
will be! Just because we are believers does not mean than we will not have economic challenges. Some of
them may come from our own ignorance and even willful disobedience concerning our spending habits. However, God's
principles do not change. God told Israel eon's ago that He is the One who gives the power to get wealth.
Our power to get wealth does not come from our government, nor our place of employment. It comes from God Himself
as He pours His favor out upon us. It is what it is. God is our Provider and we will do well to remember
that. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (AMP) 17 And
beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. 18
But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that
He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Now, if we choose to
forget that it is God who has provided all that we have and given us the power to get them, we will fall into idolatry.
It is what it is. And, the following was told to the Israelites if they chose to forget. Deuteronomy 8:19-20 (AMP) 19 And
if you forget the Lord your God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day
that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations which the Lord makes to perish
before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. God
is Who He is. Willing to provide for us and give us the power and favor to get the wealth we need to survive.
But it also is what it is if we choose to think that we have done this for ourselves and start to worship our stuff instead
of our Savior! Are you one of those unfortunate
people that have been hurt extremely badly by another? Of course, it is what it is. You can't change the past.
You can also hold a grudge against that person for the rest of your life because of what happened to you. Nobody would
blame you for that. Nobody except for God. Because it is what it is. God said that we need to pray
for our enemies, pray for them and even bless them! Ouch! But, it is what it is because God said what He
said. Matthew 5:43-48 (KJV) 43 Ye have heard that
it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I
say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is
in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans
the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?
do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect. Not only has God said that we need to love our enemies and
bless them but also that we have to forgive them. It is what it is. He said that He cannot forgive our sins unless
we forgive the ones who have sinned against us. Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) 14 “If
you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But
if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. There are so many things
that are what they are in this world and those who do not know the Lord just muddle through as best they can in their own
power. However, the above examples are just the tip of the iceberg concerning what you and I might be facing
today or some time in the future. These things are not what they look like. They are not what they really
feel like. They are things that have to fall in line with God's Word which is really the only thing that is what it
is! It is what it is because it came from the mouth of the One who is the great "I AM," of everything we
could ever want or need. What are you going through today? Whatever it is, open up your Bible, ask God
to lead you to a scripture that will allow you to speak His Word over your situation. Don't just sit back and
negatively pout, saying, "It is what it is." Hold your head up high. You're not walking alone.
God is right there with you. Whatever He has said about your situation in scripture is what it is!
You are righteous if you have Jesus as your Savior. You are powerful in every situation because the same power
that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Your mind is balanced. You are not fearful. You love
others and forgive them just as God has forgiven you your many trespasses. When God looks at you, He doesn't see your
many sins, He sees the blood of Jesus who has made those scarlet sins as white as snow. You may feel grief but you
have joy that is so much deeper than your grief because God put it in you. You can do anything God gives you to do
because it is He that will strengthen you to do it. There's lots more there in the Bible for you to cling to! When
the world says, "It is what it is," in a negative way, you just respond within your heart, God said, (repeat the
scripture He has given you) and, "It is what it is because He is Who He is." Go for it. God wants
to bless you with what it really, truly is. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 10, 2010 IT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW IT FEELS Isaiah 59:10 (NLT) First of all, let me say that I am not writing this to discourage us but to encourage us. In Isaiah 59:10, the Israelites complained about having to grope through life, clinging to anything that was stable.
The Word says that they, "felt," their way like people without eyes stumbling through the dark. They felt
like they were dead people stumbling blindly and hopelessly among the living. Are there days you feel that way?
Some of us are more prone to depression than others. Others of us operate chiefly on our feelings rather than
what we know in our minds. As they say, "they wear their feelings on their sleeve." When
we think of these people, who act mostly on feelings that have been hurt, we can usually see that they are people with,
"a chip on their shoulder." God gave us feelings and I don't think feelings are good or bad in general.
I think they can be good or they can be bad. They are most definitely not totally reliable because they can change
at a moment's notice with the change of a circumstance. We can let our feelings run away with us instead
of us being in control of our feelings. There is no doubt about it, our feelings will get hurt at some point even if
we are not one of those that wear them on our sleeve. As believers, we are people of love and people who love often
get hurt but, as another saying goes, "It is better to have loved and lost (gotten our feelings hurt) than never to
have loved at all. There will be times in our life that we feel like no one understands how we feel!
But, there is always One who does understand how we feel because He has felt everything that we could possibly feel.
He has felt everything that everyone who has ever lived has felt! Hebrews 4:15 (AMP) 15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable
to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults
of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. If we let
our feelings run away with us instead of keeping them in check, we will find ourselves in a mess every time. Unlike
Jesus, we will end up sinning. All feelings, good and bad, should be run through the filter of God's Word and then
only acted upon at the leading of the Holy Spirit. Feelings
of pain can feel really bad. When we have surgery, the pain is intense, yet it is the surgery that is going to bring
us relief from whatever problem we had. Sometimes we have to feel spiritual pain because God, in His mercy, is not
willing to leave us in the sickness of sin until we eventually succumb to death. That's the way the Israelites
were feeling in Isaiah 59:10. They had turned away from their Father and found themselves depressed, blinded, and lost. The only
thing God could do was to let them experience that pain that would eventually turn them back to their Great Physician who
could and would open their blinded eyes, give them joy for mourning, and strengthen their weak legs. When we wander
from God's ways and then feel the pain (which we might call, "consequences,") this can
be a good pain. It is a mercy from God to let us know that we have a Way to get relief from that pain but we have to
turn around and head for the Doctor. It's not always how it feels. Feeling badly in this case can lead to feeling
better than we have ever felt before as we get into line with God's Word! Sometimes God is showing us something that is within us just as He showed Jonah through a worm and a bush.
This was a very painful feeling for Jonah but it gave Him a better perception of His God. God, through pain, showed
Jonah His love for others while Jonah was just intent on his own feelings of comfort. It isn't always what it feels
like. Jonah 4:7-11 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - JUNE 9, 2010 IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE Romans 1:17 (KJV) What does your life look like this morning? For
you all, I hope it looks real good. However, there may be some of us who have some things in our lives that don't
look so good. That is why I want to say this morning, and every morning for that matter, if it's negative, "It's
not what it looks like" Romans 1:17 tells us that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. It says that the just shall live by
faith. First of all, there is an, "if," in this statement. The righteousness of God will be revealed
from faith to faith. He reveals His righteousness but we have to be looking for it and discern it when He reveals
it. Not only do we have to be looking for it and discern it, we have to walk in it. Today may bring us into a
test of faith because we are looking at something from the natural point of view. If it is negative, it's not what
it looks like. Here's another, "if." When the Bible says that the just shall live by faith, it implies
that, if we're not living by faith, we can't look at a thing that looks negative in the natural and know that God
is really going to turn it to the positive! If we have received God's righteousness through Jesus Christ and
God is revealing it to us, we must live by it! The just shall live by faith. Just who are the just? According
to the Strong's Dictionary, they are equitable (in character or actions). They are, by implication, innocent
and holy (both absolutely and relatively). The are righteous. If the just shall live by faith (if the righteous
shall live by faith), they will relate to the righteousness of God as He reveals it to them. Does that mean that everything will look sweet as pie in our lives?
Not so! There will be those times when God is revealing His righteousness to us and leading us from faith to faith.
The road from one level of faith to another is not always an easy road. There are pot-holes, confusing road signs,
distractions from worldly billboards and a host of other things that may try to get us to detour from one level of faith
to another. But these tests that come from faith to faith are only to make us more just. This is a good thing. We
will become more like Jesus as we travel from faith to faith, discerning God's revelation of His righteousness. Yes,
there will be trials as we go from faith to faith. There will be things that look bad. But, again,
it's not what it looks like in the natural for the believer. Romans 8:28 (KJV) 28 And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God
has designed us uniquely for His own purposes and, ultimately, for our own good so that we can meet the potential that our
Creator had in mind. Anyone who has ever trained for a skill, or worked for a high degree in school or even started
kindergarten, knows that some days are harder than others. Some days, it looks like we can't make it. That's
the same way it is in the life of the believer. The Devil (the liar) is always trying to get us to focus on what looks
bad in our lives so that we forget that "it's not what it looks like." He wants us to live by sight so he
can keep us down, confused and unproductive. But, he truly is a liar and we have the Truth living in us so, as we live
just lives and watch for God's revelation through these tests of faith leading to new levels of faith, the devil can have
no place in us, in our lives, or the lives of our families. In John 14:30, Jesus says that the prince of this world is coming. In the Amplified Bible, he calls the devil an
evil genius and ruler of the world. But, but, but.....Jesus says that the devil doesn't have anything in common
with Him and that nothing in Him belongs to the devil. We belong to Jesus! Therefore, we are protected
by Him from the devil since nothing in Jesus belongs to the devil! Jesus also says that the devil has no power over
Him. Because we are in Jesus, the devil has no power over us either! It may look like it sometimes, but, again,
"It's not what it looks like!" If there is anything negative that is affecting your thoughts or actions
this morning, know that you are not powerless. These negative things are not what they look like. They are just
difficult, character building places in the road from faith to another level of faith. God has given us Himself and
He has given us His power, even that power that raised Jesus from the dead. If you see something with your eyes that
looks bad, put on your spiritual glasses and look again! You will see that it was not really what it looked like to
you and that God has promised to take what the devil has meant for evil in your life and turn it into good. Into life
and prosperity! Genesis 50:20-21 (KJV) 20 But
as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people
alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones.
And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. By faith, we know that things are not
always what they look like! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 8, 2010 RELATIONSHIP
NOT RUTS Exodus
34:14 (NLT) First of all, let me begin by saying that, even though I do not personally know some of you who read the, Morning
Manna, I feel like I do know you. Romans 12:4-5 (AMP) 4 For as in one physical
body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use, 5
So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another
[mutually dependent on one another]. I think of you when I am writing. I think of you more
than you might know. I always pray to the Lord that, if just one person, is blessed, encouraged or miraculously saved
by reading this, I will be willing to do it. I love to do it, but there has been a time in my life recently when earthly
responsibilities and the stresses associated with them plus physical challenges have caused me to get behind and to get
tired. Not tired of sharing the Lord and His goodness but physically tired and much more stressed than I should
be about earthly things. I hope you will all forgive the fact that you have not received your, "Morning Manna,"
(supposed to be breakfast), at breakfast time. I do hope that if you were really hungry for the Word, you just opened
your Bible, read another devotional, or went straight to Jesus had a little talk with Him. I sing a song called,
"Just A Little Talk With Jesus." It says we can tell Him all about our troubles and tells us he will hear
even our faintest cry. All of us have some seasons where we know that our cry to Him is pretty faint. My friend
calls it a, "bleat," instead of a "baaaa." I want to tell you the truth. This past three
weeks has been one of the most blessed times of my life but I have become faint. Even so, I did cry out to Jesus
and He heard my cry. So, if you're finding yourself a little faint, don't give up. The enemy loves to try to
tamper with God's children when they get faint. He's always looking for somebody weak and tired so he can try to devour
them. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (KJV) 8 Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:9
Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that
are in the world. But just that faintest call to the Shepherd and it will bring Him running.
He will pick you up and carry you if He has to, right back to where He can give you the rest and safety He promises
and nurse you back to health. Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) 28 Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Some times
it just feels like we can't go on. Am I right? We know we have been trying to do all the right things, yet time
gets away from us, earthly cares (such as financial, relational, and health) try to hold us down and distract us.
Right at this moment, I am confessing that I am having that little talk with Jesus about whether I have let any of these
things come into conflict with His will for my life and with the continuation of the Morning Manna. Quite honestly,
I would be empty without it because I love the fact that I get to take the time to sit and talk with Him about what to write.
I love the fact that I am not trying to teach or preach, necessarily, but that He is teaching me how to live and
then allowing me to share with you. We are having a sort of cyber worship time. I have asked Him if
this is a new season in my life and there is something else He has for me to do or whether I have just let my mind and emotions
get caught up in the running of the practical worldly issues so much that I have not spent enough time relating to Him,
trusting Him, listening to Him and putting Him first in my life. I would appreciate it so much if those of you who
are reading this, would take a moment, to pray that He will help me figure out what I may be doing wrong or if there should
be a change in the format of the Morning Manna. I know many of you read it because I get comments even from those I
don't know. Rarely is there a negative comment. Almost always, the comments are that you can relate and the
scriptures contained herein are just what you needed that day. That is what blesses me so much. That is one of
the things that helps me want to encourage and uplift my brothers and sisters in Christ. So, if after praying, you
would want to send a note of suggestion, I will prayerfully consider it. Before I neglect to do so, thank you all
so much for sharing the scriptures with me. We are all members of the Kingdom of God, whether we know each other or
not, no matter whether we are male or female, no matter what color our skin is and whether we live in the same country
or not. Having believed in Jesus, we have His blood running though us and we are all related! For those
of us who will believe, we will all live in the same Country one of these days, and Jesus will reign as King! As we
continue to live our lives on earth here, let's strive to let Him reign as King of our lives so that we will be at peace
with Him and with ourselves and be a testimony to the world that He is alive and well and He is our Provider and Sustainer. So, while it is my great desire to write, sometimes I just feel empty. I do not feel
led to simply repeat what I have heard preached or read in a book, although I do share that many times. There's
an urging down deep inside to share life with you. To have a relationship. Not just get into the rut of writing.
There's a desire to reach the broken-hearted, rejoice with those who rejoice, share the practical problems of life and
how our Savior wants to enter into them too and help us. There's that desire to be one with Him and one with you through
His Word as we grow through these times when we feel in a, "funk." I know that was not a very spiritual
word but, in all practicality, it does happen at some time or other as we live through the perplexities of earthly
life. It is my desire to repeat over and over again the promises and conditions of the Lord so that we will
not lose our way and give in to things that make us feel weak and tired. Ready to give up. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to grow weary in well doing, for in season we shall reap, if we do not
lose heart." Whatever we do for Jesus should never become a rut. A ritual. It should
be something alive that enhances our relationship with Him and with others. Something that actually introduces others
into a relationship with Him! I have been having that little talk with Jesus about the Morning Manna. He has
not told me to stop. He has only told me to ask for your patience and understanding while His Spirit gives me a, "second
wind." As they say, "I'm peddling as fast as I can peddle." That reminds me of another story of
a tandem bike ride. Jesus is in the front seat and you or I are on the back seat. We travel up rocky trails
that overlook deep valleys and dangerous drops into the deep ocean. As we look down and over to the side, we begin
to shake in fear. All that we can see when we look ahead is the back of Jesus. We might even slow up on the
peddling from fear and distraction. However, the story goes that, as we begin to ask Jesus where we are going and what
this hard thing we are doing is all about, He just says, "Shut up and keep peddling." He's the One
in control. He's the one doing the steering in our lives and keeping our, "bicycle," on the narrow,
though sometimes rocky paths of eternal life. He knows the way and it is He that will get us there
safely. He made the path, He made the bike, and He made us! All He wants is for us to do
the part He has asked us to do, without fear and without giving up or complaining. Are you suffering in a bit of an
earthly, "funk?" That doesn't even mean that things are necessarily going badly in your life. It just
may mean that there is a little talk that Jesus wants to have with you and, as the song goes, "Just a little talk with
Jesus makes it right." He's that friend that watches day and night. He's the friend that knows our every
care, allowing us to bring them to Him in prayer. Has your life become a series of ruts instead of glorious relationship
with Jesus and with others? Are you emotionally, physically, or spiritually tired? He's right ready to change
that now, if we will just ask! As Exodus 34:14 says, He is very jealous about His relationship with us. MORNING MANNA - MAY 7, 2010 GOOD-BYE'S 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV) 13 But
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which
have no hope. Good-bye's
are usually not easy. Especially if you are leaving those you love the most. Many of you my still be grieving
the death of a loved one. The Apostle, Paul, is speaking to you in 1 Thessalonians 4:13. However, we have to
say some good-bye's many times during life that are very hard. Today, I am leaving all of my children and grandchildren
and going back to where I live fifteen hundred miles away. Believe me, I have a lump in my throat and I have shed
some tears. We have no guarantee when we say, "good-bye," whether it will be for a while on earth or whether
one of us will go to be with the Lord before we see each other again. It is not easy to hold a loved one in your
arms and say, "good-bye." I was not feeling well during this trip and was asleep when one of my daughters
and her daughter left my son's house, where I was staying, after a visit. I had fallen into a deep sleep and thought
I had missed saying good-bye to them. My heart felt heavy. Today, I spoke to my daughter on the phone and she
told me that she and her daughter had come up to my bed to say, "good-bye." They were thinking about not
waking me up but then my daughter remembered something. The last time she saw her daddy alive was when we were delivering
some Christmas presents to him. He happened to be asleep so my daughter went in and put the presents on the floor near
him and we left. She had felt she should wake him up and tell him she loved him and give him a kiss. But, she
didn't. That was the last time she saw him alive. She has lived with that regret all of her life. Lesson
here - let those you love know that you love them every time you can do so. So, she had her daughter wake me up to
give me a hug and a kiss good-bye. Apparently, I was so, "out-of-it," that I did not remember that; but
my daughter assured me that I told the little one that I wanted to squish her forever and that I loved her. (Squishing
is what most people might call a, "bear hug," in our family). Boy, did I feel better knowing that we had
said proper, "good-bye's!" Right about now, I feel some grief as I sit in the airport alone. However,
I have the assurance that my Jesus is with me and that He will never leave me. No, "good-bye's," with
Him! I do grieve somewhat because many of my children and
grandchildren do not really have a relationship with Jesus. However, even in this, I do not grieve without hope because
I have dedicated and committed them all to the Lord. He has told me in His Word (and you too) that He is able
to keep that which we have committed to Him. He has also said that whatever we asked, believing, we would receive.
I know I am asking for all of their salvation and service to Him within His will because He is not willing that any
should perish but that all should come to repentance. So, though I leave not knowing how God will work all
of this out, I leave with hope! Hope that will never leave me ashamed because God never fails on any of His
promises! If there is anything you are grieving over
this morning, please remember that God knows how you feel. We have a High Priest that is acquainted with
everything we ever feel. Jesus as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His Spirit, who is our Comforter,
will keep us in peace and filled with His joy even through the earthly grieving we may have to endure.
If you have a loved one that has gone to be with Jesus, remember that it is only a short time before we finish our work here
on earth and find ourselves seeing our Lord Jesus face to face and being reunited with our loved ones. If we happen
to go home before our wayward family members manifest the salvation we have asked God for, we can know that He will
not stop working and we will eventually be reunited with them to after He finishes His work of salvation in them!
There are other things we tend to grieve over such as lost jobs, bankruptcy, death of pets, children or friends moving
far away from us, etc. However, if any of those things (or a host of other things that can make us sad), are bothering
you this morning, Remember that you are not without hope! Keep looking up and know that all that you have committed
to the Lord is in His strong, safe Hands. He is aware of your feelings and is just waiting for you to turn
to Him and His Spirit who is called your Comforter! That's what I'm doing now. If you need to do that too, please
feel free to join me. There's room for anyone who will come! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 6, 2010 IN EVERYTHING VICTORIOUS Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) God's right hand is His hand of power. There could be nothing more secure than being upheld by His right hand.
That's what makes us victorious. Thee are times that I do become afraid, although, I must remember that God
has not given me a spirit of fear. When I find myself giving in to the temptation of fear from the evil one, I must
remind myself that fear has no place in me because God has promised me power. That power is from His own right hand
holding me up. He has also given me love. His love that is unconditional and never-failing. On top of all that,
even when things appear to be scary, I have a sound mind. All of these things given to me by the God who upholds me
(and you) with His victorious right hand. Besides sometimes
feeling fearful, I many times feel discouraged. Maybe that happens to you too. This week, you may have
noticed that I am somewhat behind in getting the Morning Manna to you in a timely manner. I have been traveling and
then found myself with a host of heavy responsibilities requiring more finances than expected. As we all know, juggling
finances is a stressful situation. On top of that, I found myself weak and suffering some of the symptoms that I experienced
last year during a pulmonary embolism that would have taken me out if it hadn't been for the victorious right hand that
held me up and kept me alive against all odds. Are there things that are fearful in your life this morning? Are
there things that make you tempted to feel discouraged and forget that God will make a way where there seems to be no way?
If we can just get a vision of the Creator of the earth holding us up above our circumstances with His victorious right hand,
we an find the will to keep on keeping on even when it seems like there are no solutions. Victory is always ours through
Christ Jesus if we will trust Him. Not only will we be held
up by God's victorious right hand, He promises that He will strengthen us. Even this moment, as I write, I am feeling
without strength. I'm totally aware that I need help. It is so comforting to know that God has promised to strengthen
me with His victorious right hand! No matter what it feels like, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me. He is my strength. His Spirit is that One who comes along side and helps me when no one else is there.
Or, sometimes, He directs people into my pathway who have the means to give me the help I need. No matter what, you
and I must not give in to discouragement and fear. Not over finances, relationships, grief, health, careers, school,
the bad news we hear every day in the media or anything else. We have the God who created the earth, who tells us He
is our Father, who promises to uphold us with His victorious right hand. The same hand He used to form us and sustain
us every day. If today finds you a bit discouraged or faced with something fearful, get a picture in your mind of God's
victorious right hand with you right in the center of it, being held high above your circumstances. Know you are secure
there because He will never let us go! Know that the victory is yours, no matter what things feel like or look like. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV) 57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 5, 2010 NEW LIFE 1 Peter 2:2-3 (AMP) Today we are going to have a baby shower. We are celebrating two new births in our family.
One, Sofia, a granddaughter, born on the 13th of May. The other, Cohen, a great grandson, born on the 14th of
May. We are truly a very blessed family. Watching these new babies makes me think so much of the goodness of
the Lord. I know that they have been fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14-16 (KJV) 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from
thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. I know that,
even though we could not see them being perfected before they were born (except for the sonograms), God was carefully watching
them and keeping a record of everything that He was creating in them. Psalm 139:16
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written,
which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. Now their days on earth
have started and we can see all the wondrous ways God has made them. Unique little human beings with perfect
fingers, toes, and bright eyes that seem curious to find out just where they have been placed. Eyes
that check out each adult that is anxious to hold a brand new creation of life. A new life. A
miracle of the Lord. However, these unique little creatures have another feature that can make a new
mommy and daddy very tired. They are quite hungry for their mother's milk or their formula. They sometimes wake up
every couple of hours craving some milk because they are growing and, if they are not fed, their little tummies hurt;
and after a time of not being fed they will become, sick and malnourished. If not fed at all, they will
die. We wil also die spiritually if we are not fed. God
says we should be like newborn babies, spiritually when we first learn about Him. We should literally cry out for His
Word. For the spiritual milk of His Word that will sustain us and grow us and nurture our spirits.
We will feel this spiritual hunger within our spirits, just as a new baby feels the pangs of hunger within
themselves. They do not hesitate to let their parents know either. When it's time to eat, there's no stopping
a new baby from crying. They cry louder and louder the longer they have to wait for their milk. Are we
that way? Do our spirits cry out often for the milk of God's Word so that we might grow and become nurtured and
completed in our salvation. Do we cry out for the pure milk of God's Word and not some twisted deception of the
scripture that Satan has out there to lure us when we're really hungry? One thing a new baby must do
is stay close to its parents. That way the perfect milk is always available. We, too, must stay
close to our Heavenly Father. When I am distracted by this world, it seems like I am not as close to my Father as
I should be. My spiritual self hungers for His Word and, although I have read and meditated on His Word so many times,
sometimes I still need some of the milk of His Word to keep me going. There are times when I have not taken
the time to just sit and meditate on His Word and my spirit feels sick. Like having the stomach ache that
babies get when they are hungry. At those times, even though I should be desiring the meat of the word, I
really need the milk of the Word to rejuvenate me and make me feel satisfied spiritually.1 Corinthians 3:1-2 (KJV) 1 And
I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are
ye able. The Apostle, Paul, compared the members of the church at Corinth to babies in Christ.
They were still carnal creatures. Paul wanted to give them the meat of God's Word but they could not digest it,
just as new born babies cannot digest meat. In no way would we try to feed a tiny baby steak and potatoes! Why could Paul not give the Corinthians the meat of God's Word?
1 Corinthians 3:3-4 (KJV) 3 For ye are yet carnal:
for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Like
brand new babies, they were very self-centered. You can't blame or judge a new baby for being self-centered because
it is helpless and totally dependent upon its parents for all of its needs in life. That's the way these Corinthians
were. When a parent is blessed twins, triplets, or more, the babies cry at the same time for milk. They don't
care that the others are crying and hungry too. They just want theirs. If their diapers
are dirty, they want theirs changed and they don't even notice or care that the others are also uncomfortable. They
look to their parents and care takers for help and they are still at the point of thinking that they are the center of everyone's
world. We sometimes help them think that way because they are so cute as they try to decipher the world around them.
These people in Corinth were looking to Paul and Apollos to be their providers when they should have been looking higher.
They should have already received the milk of God's Word from Paul and Apollos and begin to chew on the meat of the Word
from their Father, God. Still they were not able to eat the meat of the Word because their sights were not set high
enough. They were still looking to men instead of God. New born babies are a blessing and they are so adorable.
They need to be fed and nurtured but, if they become twenty, thirty, forty and so on and still have to drink milk because
they cannot digest meat, they have a problem. Christian new babies can still be carnal because that is the way they
have lived. They are used to that "dog-eat-dog," lifestyle. But, as they grow on the milk of the Word
given out by those who have learned to eat meat, they will begin to mature from "cry-babies," to strong men and
women of God, eating the meat of His Word and giving it out to those who are just being born-again and perhaps to those
Christians who have become weak spiritually and need some milk to get them going again - back to basics, so to speak. Hebrews 5:11-14 (NLT) 11 There
is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull
and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought
to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like
babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.13 For someone who lives on milk is
still an infant and doesn't know how to do what is right.14 Solid food is for those
who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Where
are you and I today. Are we new-born babies in Christ, are we those who have been suffering spiritually or are we those
who are mature in the Word, eating the meat of the world and being trained by it. Are we able now to recognize the
difference between right and wrong? The writer of Hebrews suggests that some may be spiritually dull? Is that
what we are? Or, are we eager to start eating more and more of the rich Word of God and then teach it to others?
New-born's are cute and the world does seem to revolve around them but they do have to grow up and then start nurturing other
young ones. It is the same with us believers. Where are we in this process? God is the gracious giver
of new life, both physically and spiritually and He is also the sustainer, by His Word, making us older brothers and
sisters partners in spreading the milk and meat of His Word. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 4, 2010 RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT John 20:2222 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. A long time before
Jesus was born, Isaiah testified about Him. Here is part of what he said: Isaiah 42:5-7 (NLT) However, God also gives us spiritual breath through
the Holy Spirit. He is the One who breathes His own Spirit into us giving us counsel, consolation, and he power to
live His life through us so that others may also realize that it is God that sustains them physically and spiritually with
His own breath. It wasn't long after Jesus had been crucified that the disciples were meeting in a locked room
because they were afraid of what might happen to them because they were followers of Jesus. And then, one of those,
"suddenly's," happened. John 20:19 (NLT) 19 That Sunday evening the disciples
were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among
them! “Peace be with you,” he said. If you are in some situation in your life where you
are sort of, "locked in," by the spirit of fear, remember that Jesus has breathed the words over you that He has
not given you a spirit of fear. He's given you power, love, and a sound mind. If you and
I will turn to Him at the first thoughts of fear, we, too, will have a, "suddenly," in our lives! His
Spirit will rise up in us and cause us to remember all the words He has breathed over us in the past. By faith (and
sometimes by vision) we will see the Lord. John 20:20 (NLT) 20 As he spoke, he showed them
the wounds in his hands and his side. 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! The disciples could not help rejoicing when they saw
the Lord! They were filled with joy and so will we be when we realize that He is with us by His holy spirit.
Even through tears and temptation to fear, we can be filled with His joy because He has breathed His Spirit into
us and has breathed His Word through the scriptures. Just as he did for the disciples, He will bestow His peace
on us in any and every situation. As He continued talking to the disciples he gave them a commission which
you and I also have, seeing that we have also received His Spirit if we have asked for Him. John 20:21 (NLT) 21 Again he said, “Peace be with
you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. In the very beginning, God breathed His breath
into the first man, Adam. Then sin entered into the world by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Now, because
Jesus, the second Adam, has lived a perfect life, died, risen again, and sits on the right hand of the Father to take away
our sin, we can receive His Spirit just as the disciples did that day. He is constantly breathing on us. It is His
great desire that we should receive that breath and take in His Holy Spirit. As He said to the disciples of that day,
I believe He is saying to us today, "Receive the Holy Spirit." He is offering us life. His life.
Will we make the choice to receive Him? Will we breathe in that spiritual breath and then go into a spiritually
dying world and breathe out the words of life as prompted by His Spirit? MORNING MANNA - JUNE 3, 2010 ASK AND CONTINUE TO ASK Luke 11:13 (AMP)
13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to
their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue
to ask Him! If
you are anything like me, you have a hard time living for the Lord at times. Oh, your spirit is so willing
but your emotions and body don't always stay in agreement with that willing spirit! I'm so thankful that we have
such a loving Father. His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT) 34 Give thanks to the
LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Some of us have had wonderful parents with
Godly values and others of us have had parents that did not follow the Lord. Some have even been abandoned by
their parents, either physically or emotionally. Some have had the awful experience of the death of
their parents at a very early age. None of us have had perfect earthly parents because we are all human. But,
all of us have a perfect Heavenly Father who has promised that He will be with us always and never abandon us if we will
invite Him into our lives through His Son, Jesus Christ. Psalms 27:10 (NLT) 10 Even
if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close. If we have been blessed with loving parents, we will feel secure in having our needs met and asking for
what we need (even what we want). This is the way our Heavenly Father is. He made us and he knows that a good
earthly parent loves to give good gifts to their children. All the more He, being the perfect Parent, greatly desires
to give the best of gifts to His children. What could be a better gift than the gift of His own Holy Spirit?
The Lord is telling us to look at ourselves and how we desire to give good things to our children. We are far from
perfect. If we like to give such gifts to our children, we cannot even imagine the desires of our Father to give us
good gifts. After all, if we woke up this morning. we have been given the gift of a brand new day with His brand new
mercies! Now, of course, a good parent will not give a gift
to their child that they know will harm them. Neither will our Heavenly Father. If we are following Him, His
gifts for us are to do good to us all of our lives, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11) Sometimes, as parents, we want our children to ask for what they want so that we know we are giving them something
that will make them happy, as well as be good for them. That's what God wants us to do regarding His Spirit.
He wants desperately for us to have the good gift of His Spirit but He also wants to know that we really want that gift.
That's why we need to ask for the Holy Spirit and all of His power to live a life of righteousness, love, and boldness.
Not only do we need to ask but we need to keep asking. I can testify to that myself at this moment. I am so
very blessed, but, with great blessing, also comes great responsibility and seasons of challenge. I want to be led
by the Holy Spirit but I can get easily distracted, especially when I'm emotionally and physically spent. Therefore,
all the more, I need to ask and keep asking for the infilling of the Holy Spirit to give me the strength I need to keep going
and, more than that, keep going with a good and Godly attitude! Can anyone relate? How extremely loved and blessed
we are that the Creator of the earth is our own Heavenly perfect Father and that He listens every time we ask for more of
His Spirit! No matter what season you are in, ask and continue asking for the Holy Spirit. Your Heavenly Daddy
loves to hear your request and He will certainly grant it! MORNING MANNA - JUNE 2, 2010 JESUS REJOICED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT Luke 10:20 (AMP) Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirit are subject to you but
rejoice that our names are enrolled in heaven. I'm sorry this, "Morning Manna,"
is so late. It will also be short. I have had some extra responsibilities that made me feel as though there
was just no way. But, like you, when you have those times, I remember that God will make a way when there seems to
be no way. Also, with God, nothing is impossible! I cling to the fact that I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me. Jesus always gives us the victory but sometimes we get tired as we go through the process.
Spiritual warfare takes place leaving us tired emotionally. If physical work is involved, we also get tired physically.
How convenient for the devil to think he can come in and convince us to just, "give up." However, we
have the victory in Christ, according to His Word. I
would encourage you today, just as one of my good friends encouraged me, this morning, to read and remember all of those
promises of the power and grace you have if you are going through something that seems way too hard for you. If it
is too hard for you, it is just right for God. He will make a way for you if you trust Him. It may not be the
way you expected but it will be the best way. Never give up. Do not lose heart. God says that, if we don't
get discouraged and give up, we will reap a harvest. God never lies. So, if this is a hard time for you, hang
in there in faith. Cling to the Vine and know your strength and life is coming from Him. I am doing that too
and I know our God will never, ever fail us. During these times, we are growing in faith and endurance. When
the next season of testing comes, we will be all the more ready with strength, courage and determination. Jesus is
Lord and He has promised to give us strength and to be with us to the end of the age! Be encouraged! Know you
are loved by your Father and that His plans for you are for good. Nothing that feels bad at the moment is meant to
ultimately hurt you. Your future is secure in Him! We
need to keep our spiritual armor on and do spiritual warfare as the enemy tries to take us down and we will win; but the
biggest miracle is that our lives are written in the Book of Life and we will have a glorious life with the Lord for ever
and ever where no more troubles and trials will come our way. Rejoice, if you have believed in Jesus. Your name
is written in the Book of Life and, today, you have the power to claim the victory over whatever the enemy might be trying
to do in your life. Here's what Jesus said about that: Luke 10:21 (AMP) In that same hour He rejoiced an gloried in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank
You, Father., Lord of heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things (relating to salvation) from the wise and understanding
and learned, and revealed them to babes (the childish, unskilled, and untaught). Yes, Father, for such was Your
gracious will and choice and good pleasure. Even in the hardest of times, Jesus lets us know that He
has revealed His presence and victory to us, as well as all that our salvation does for us now and forever. MORNING MANNA - JUNE 1, 2010 GOD HAS GIVEN US HIS HOLY SPIRIT Romans 5:5 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly
God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Lots of times you and I run into problems and trials. Troubles
and things that cause us anxiety. Of course when we do run into those things, they don't feel good but they are for
a purpose if we are following Christ. Therefore, they are reason to rejoice! Romans 5:3 (NLT) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know
that they help us develop endurance. What is happening when we are being put through these difficult
times? God is using then to help us develop endurance. Everyone goes through difficult times but those
of us who are willing to hang on to our faith and keep on trusting the Lord will be developing endurance. There's no
doubt about it, once we get through one problem and come out of it with the Lord's help, we will be strengthened.
Then, after a time, there will be another problem just because we live in a world of problems caused by sin. So, if you
are not in a problem or coming out of one, know that your time is coming and remember that God is using each one to
help us develop endurance. That is reason for rejoicing. I have found myself rejoicing even when I don't
feel like rejoicing because my circumstances seem so impossible. But, as I open my mouth and sing praises
or speak out loud to the Lord about how good He is and begin thanking Him for His power in my life, I begin to feel
better. I begin to feel hope building up in me. Romans 5:4 (NLT) 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens
our confident hope of salvation. How wonderful is it that God uses the difficult things of this world
to grow us and develop in us strength of character? Then that character in us strengthens us to have confident hope
of salvation. The salvation we have is what helps us through this world and into the next. The hope that
we have in salvation will never make us disappointed. Not now and not for eternity! Romans 5:5 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Why
will we never be disappointed? Because we know that God loves us so much. Much more than we could
ever imagine. And, we know that He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. This will help
us to show, by our speech and actions, His love to others around us. There are many around us that don't
know the love of Jesus. If we have gone through hard times victoriously because God has used those times to strengthen
and grow us, we will be able to show a non-believing world that salvation is offered to everyone. There was a time when we couldn't help ourselves. Romans 5:6 6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at
just the right time and died for us sinners. We were sinners unable to help ourselves out of the pit of sin
but, just at the right time, Jesus came and died for us so that we could be set free from sin. We didn't deserve to
be saved and we could not do it by ourselves. Most people would not be willing to do anything to save us, much less
die for us! Romans 5:7 7 Now, most people would not be willing to
die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.
Not a single one of us is, or was, especially good. We have all missed the mark of God's standard. Romans 5:8 (NLT) 8 But God showed his great love for
us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And
since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. God
has given us His Holy Spirit to instill in us the hope that we have salvation, both now and for eternity. We used
to be God's enemies when we followed the ways of Satan and this world. But, God loved us so much that, instead
of destroying us, He loved us into His Kingdom by giving us His Son and then giving us His Holy Spirit. Romans 5:10 (NLT) 10 For since our friendship with God
was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his
Son. We now have a wonderful new relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit, because Jesus went
through death and resurrection to make us friends with God! Romans 5:11 (NLT) 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful
new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Hope is ours,
no matter what the situation. And, that hope will never make us disappointed because God has loved us freely and without
measure. He has loved us so much that He has given us His Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
Now, it seems logical to me that, if God loved us that much and gave us so much hope and love, including
the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to give love, we should be looking for those who need hope, love, friendship
with God, the filling of the Holy Spirit and spread these things that God has given us to others. MORNING MANNA - MAY 31, 2010 EVERYONE WAS AMAZED Acts 10:45 (AMP) Peter, like you and me, was just an ordinary person but he was
called of and committed to God. One day he went up on to the roof of a house, (which was a normal
thing to do in that day) and he began to pray. He did not know it but another man, Cornelius, had a vision of
an angel. Acts 10:3-8 (AMP) 3 About
the ninth hour (about 3:00 p.m.) of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God entering and saying to him, Cornelius!
4 And he, gazing intently at him, became frightened and said, What is it, Lord? And
the angel said to him, Your prayers and your [generous] gifts to the poor have come up [as a sacrifice] to God and have been
remembered by Him. 5 And now send men to Joppa and have them call for and invite
here a certain Simon whose surname is Peter; 6 He is lodging with Simon a
tanner, whose house is by the seaside. As is always true with the Lord, He was working with just Cornelius. he
was working with Peter also. Peter was up on the roof praying, he became hungry. Acts 10:9-16 (AMP) 9 The
next day as they were still on their way and were approaching the town, Peter went up to the roof of the house to pray, about
the sixth hour (noon). 10 But he became very hungry, and wanted something to eat;
and while the meal was being prepared a trance came over him, 11 And he saw the sky
opened and something like a great sheet lowered by the four corners, descending to the earth. 12
It contained all kinds of quadrupeds and wild beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, saying, Rise up, Peter, kill and eat. 14 But Peter said, No, by no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and
unhallowed or [ceremonially] unclean. 15 And the voice came to him again a second
time, What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, do not you defile and profane by regarding and calling common and unhallowed
or unclean. 16 This occurred three times; then immediately the sheet was taken
up to heaven. Peter was probably pretty confused about the whole vision. In fact, that's just what the
scripture says. Acts 10:17-18 (AMP) 17 Now Peter was
still inwardly perplexed and doubted as to what the vision which he had seen could mean, when [just then] behold the messengers
that were sent by Cornelius, who had made inquiry for Simon’s house, stopped and stood before the gate. 18 And they called out to inquire whether Simon who was surnamed Peter was staying there.
Aren't there times in our lives when we hear the Spirit speaking to us but we are not
exactly sure what He is saying? At first it doesn't make sense. But God doesn't leave us in the dark.
Acts 10:19 (AMP) 19 And while Peter was earnestly revolving
the vision in his mind and meditating on it, the [Holy] Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are looking for you! Isn't
it interesting that the vision Peter had happened three times and that there were three men looking for him? Peter continued to listen to the Holy Spirit and
went down to see the men who had come to see him. Acts 10:20-21 (AMP) 20 Get up and go
below and accompany them without any doubt [about its legality] or any discrimination or hesitation, for I have sent them.
21 Then Peter went down to the men and said, I am the man you seek; what is the
purpose of your coming? Right about this point, God was ready to reveal how he had been working
in Cornelius and in Peter, neither of which knew each other! Peter invited them in and they spent the night with him
and the next day they and some of the men from Joppa went with them to the house of Cornelius. (Acts 10:22-24 ) Don't you just love it when God puts you together with other believers and, even though you
don't know them, you find that you are connected by the Holy Spirit! God was about to cause amazement among the people
that knew Him. He was about to show his love, grace, and power. As these men traveled to the home of Cornelius,
he was waiting for them with a group of his family and friends. Peter explained that, under Jewish law, he was not
allowed to enter the house of a Gentile but that the Holy Spirit had him, basically, that all people
were of equal value to God, (Acts 10:25-29). As Peter spoke of God's will to bless anyone from any nation who revered Him, the Holy Spirit fell
upon Cornelius and those with him. Acts 10:44-45 (AMP) 44 While Peter
was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message. 45
And the believers from among the circumcised [the Jews] who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because
the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles. All
those that saw this wonderful even were amazed. We should be amazed also, that God, even though He knows us through
and through, is willing to pour our His Spirit on us too. He will do whatever it takes to bring His people together
to bless them and allow His Spirit to flow! Everyone was amazed at what they saw and heard! Acts 10:46-48 (AMP) 46 For
they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and extolling and magnifying God. Then Peter asked, 47 Can anyone forbid or refuse water for baptizing these people, seeing that they have received
the Holy Spirit just as we have? 48 And he ordered that they be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Then they begged him to stay on there for some days. Jews and Gentiles, men
and women, were praising God and moving as the Spirit led. Of course no one wanted to leave this event. When
we find ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we tend to want to stay there! Time seems to stand still.
They stayed for a season and then God began to do His work through each of them as only He can do! There are no
words adequate to express the work and power of the Holy Spirit or the love and mercy of God in allowing Himself to flow
through such as us! There is nothing impossible with God when it comes to uniting people of all sorts in Himself and allowing
them all to praise Him together. Really, it is amazing! MORNING MANNA - MAY 30, 2010 IT IS NOT YOU THAT WILL BE SPEAKING Mark 13:11 (NLT) As believers, we have many opportunities to tell others about Jesus. This is because Jesus said that
the gospel had to be preached in all the world. We, who are His followers, have that privilege and great responsibility.
He did not say it would always be easy. In fact, Jesus said that we would have trouble in this world. If He said
it, it's a promise! However, most people don't really like to claim that promise as much as they like to remember
the promises of provision, protection, prosperity, etc. Thankfully, Jesus finished those words about us having trouble
in this world with the words for us to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. He also told us that He
would never leave us or forsake us and that He would be with us until the end of the age, as we told others about him
and made disciples. In the passage in Mark 13, Jesus was talking about people being arrested and standing trial just because they were believers. In Mark 13:9, He said that this would be their opportunity to tell others about Him. It's pretty obvious that, if we were
dragged into court, and even beaten for being a Christian, it would be a difficult scenario. Many of us, I fear, would
want to retaliate. Some of us might want to do what Peter did in the Garden of Gethsemane and get out our
swords or other weapons. After all, there is nothing wrong and everything right about being a follower of Jesus! So,
why not do something to prove that we are right? Why not fight back? First
of all, we are told to pray for our enemies and do good to them. For another reason in Mark 13:9, we are told that this is an opportunity to tell others about Jesus. What He did say about this situation was
that thy should not worry in advance about what they were going to say. They were just to count on God to tell
them at the time they were questioned. Then Jesus assured them that it would not be them speaking but the Holy
Spirit would speak through them. How's that for a test of faith? Would I pass? Would you pass? That's
an interesting question to ponder. But, what about our everyday life? We probably have many opportunities to tell others
about Jesus. Some of us have learned from,"scripts," that others have made of how to tell someone about
Jesus. This is good so that we know what His Word says and that we rightly use it when speaking to others but
there are times when a, "script," is not what someone needs to hear. They need to hear something
directly from the Holy Spirit. These people may be very challenging and unruly people that we would rather just, as
they say, give them a good hit, "up side of the head." However, if the opportunity arises to meekly, but
with authority, open our mouth and let the Holy Spirit speak, lives will be changed (including our own as we submit to God's
agenda, rather than our own intellect). The next time we find ourselves not knowing what to say in a difficult
situation, I wonder what would happen if we would just cease to worry about what to say, believe that God will tell
us instantaneously, and trust that it will not be us speaking but that the Holy Spirit will use us to speak His own
Words that will cut to the heart of the listener? I'm anxious to give this a try! I want to be led and fully surrendered
to the Holy Spirit. I think my mouth is the part that needs the most practice! Will we let the Holy Spirit
speak through us in all instances in life?  MORNING MANNA - MAY 29, 2010 MONEY CAN'T BUY THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS Acts 8:18 AMP) 18 However, when Simon saw that the [Holy] Spirit
was imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he brought money and offered it to them, There are so many things that we are told
that we should have today. From airplanes to zebra skin coats and everything in between! We are made by the
world and the devil to think that the more money we have the happier we will be and the more things we can get. The
trouble with that is that all those things and just more money does not bring happiness. It brings depression and
chaos. When you have lots of money, people always want it and are looking for a way to take it from you even if they
have to lie about you in court to get some sort of settlement for something that never even happened. When you have
lots of stuff, you have to take care of it, find places to store it and move it around. Most of life is filled with
taking care of and trying to hold on to our toys! However, there is another thing that money can temporarily buy for
you if you know the right people. That is power. Worldly power. Political power. There are many
people who crave that power and will lie, cheat, and steal to get it. Worse than that is that there was a certain person
by the name of Simon who saw that great power came to people upon whom the apostles laid their hands. It was the power
of the Holy Spirit. Now for power-crazed people, you can't get any greater power than that. Simon saw that others were receiving this power. Acts 8:14-17 (AMP) 14 Now when the apostles
(special messengers) at Jerusalem heard that [the country of] Samaria had accepted and welcomed the Word of God, they sent
Peter and John to them, 15 And they came down and prayed for them that the Samaritans might receive the
Holy Spirit; 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the
Lord Jesus. 17 Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Now, instead of submitting himself to the Lord and humbly asking to receive the Holy Spirit, Simon, being
most likely a man of worldly thinking, thought he could certainly just purchase this power and be done with it.
So he proceeded to offer money to the apostles so he could receive this incredible power. Acts 8:19 (AMP) 19 Saying, Grant me also this power and authority, in order that anyone on whom
I place my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. Of course, this probably incensed the apostles to think
that anyone could be so brazen as to think that the Holy Spirit could be bought with money. So, they gave a proper,
but very terse, response to Simon. Acts 8:20-23 (AMP) 20 But Peter said
to him, Destruction overtake your money and you, because you imagined you could obtain the [free] gift of God with money!
1 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is all wrong in God’s
sight [it is not straightforward or right or true before God]. 22 So repent of this
depravity and wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this contriving thought and purpose of your heart
may be removed and disregarded and forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the
gall of bitterness and in a bond forged by iniquity [to fetter souls]. Right about now, I'm going to say something that may be offensive to some, but hopefully, not. Today,
we have all sorts of power crazy people in the world. They are in the political field and in the corporate world; but,
yes, they are also in the religious arena. Some are good people with proper motives and some are not. It is the
power of the Holy Spirit within us, as believers, who will give us the discernment to tell the difference. Perhaps
you have heard religious ministries asking for money (an offering so to speak) so that you might have the infilling
of the Holy Spirit. Nothing at all is wrong with an offering and God is pleased with our offerings that come from
joyful and willing hearts. But, when someone tries to get you to give something out of compulsion in order to
receive something from God, I do not believe this is from the Holy Spirit. In fact, I do believe that, like Peter
told Simon, destruction might just overtake us and our money, including the ministry that erroneously told us we could
bring an offering to receive anything from God. God does not need our money. What He wants is our hearts
and lives. We could never give an offering big enough to receive anything from God. Simons heart was not
right with God. He had his own agenda in mind and intended to us the power of the Holy Spirit for his own purposes.
Peter rightly told Simon that the Holy Spirit was a free gift from God. There is absolutely nothing we can
give to receive this gift except for our hearts! When our hearts are right, we will want to give offerings, not to
receive something, but in gratitude for all that we have received and for who God is. We will want to give offerings,
not to get something but to give so that the Gospel message can be given to everyone who will listen! If anyone
is making you feel guilty or that you might be missing the fullness of the Holy Spirit because you don't give a certain
amount of money, turn quickly to the Lord, Himself, and ask Him, by His Spirit to show you what to do. We don't
want to end up like Simon! We do, however, want to be filled with the Spirit of the Lord so that we can have the power
to do mighty things for Him, beginning with loving others, giving to those in need, spreading the Gospel and so many
other jobs within the Kingdom of the Lord. There are some things money cannot buy. The Holy Spirit is one of
those things. I guess Simon didn't ask how much it would cost but he should have. As the saying goes, if you
have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it." How true. We cannot afford the Holy Spirit or
any other of God's wonderful gifts. But, we can have them because He loves us and wants to give
us gifts if we have a heart and mind surrendered to Him. Forget money! You may be the poorest person in the world
but be so filled with the Spirit that you will change the world. You may be the richest person in the world, but if
you have not surrendered your life and your money to the Lord, you will end up in destruction. God isn't as interested
in our money as He is in our lives. He isn't interested in our political or corporate power. He's interested
in bestowing a greater power within us - that of His Holy Spirit. Today, we can receive that gift, if we just ask! MORNING MANNA - MAY 28, 2010 I HAVE HEARD OF YOU Daniel 5:14 (AMP) During the days of Daniel, people had noticed
that he was a man of God and that the Holy Spirit was with him. They may not have understood, but they did notice.
Belshazzar, who was a king and also was a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, had made a great feast for the nobles in his
kingdom. He had served the finest of wine, but he served it in the things that had been taken from the temple of the
Lord. Vessels that had been set apart as holy but then stolen by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 5:2-4 (AMP) 2 Belshazzar,
while he was tasting the wine, commanded that the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out
of the temple [out of the sacred area—the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] which was in Jerusalem be brought, that
the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.3 Then
they brought in the gold and silver vessels which had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem;
and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They
drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone. First of all
they were using things that were set apart for God for their revelry. Secondly they praised the gods of gold and silver,
of bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Unfortunately, that sounds a lot like things that are happening in our day
to me. We, as believers, are set apart for God. We are made holy by the blood of Jesus. We are chosen vessels.
Yet, how many of us have some habits that are not holy. How many of us use our minds and bodies for worldly revelry?
How many of us would be unwilling to let go of the things we have collected that are made of gold, silver, bronze, iron,
wood, and stone? Hopefully, we are all aware of how set apart we are and we are living lives that compared to Daniel's
life. At one point, Nebuchadnezzar realized that he needed
some counsel about a dream and all of his wise men and magicians could not help him. Daniel 4:4-9 (AMP) 4 I,
Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I had a dream
which made me afraid, and the thoughts and imaginations and the visions of my head as I was lying upon my bed troubled and
agitated me. 6 Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then
the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not
make known to me the interpretation of it. 8 But at last Daniel came in before me—he
who was named Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God—and I told the dream
before him, saying, 9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that
the Spirit of the Holy God is in you and no secret mystery is a burden or troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that
I have seen and the interpretation of it. After exhausting all of his worldly wise men and counselors, Nebuchadnezzar
found that Daniel could help him. Why was this so? Because Daniel had the Spirit of the Holy God in him.
Daniel did not necessarily tell Nebuchadnezzar anything pleasant, but he told him the truth and it came to pass.
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and led by Him. When we keep in step with the Spirit, He will
speak through us and people notice! Not only will they notice, but they will remember! Now, Belshazzar was needing some help. As he and his partying friends drank from God's holy vessels
and praised everything but God, a finger wrote on the wall. Pretty scary! Daniel 5:5-17 (AMP) 5 Immediately
and suddenly there appeared the fingers of a man’s hand and wrote on the plaster of the wall opposite the candlestick
[so exposed especially to the light] in the king’s palace, and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the color and the [drunken] hilarious brightness of the king’s face was changed,
and his [terrifying] thoughts troubled and alarmed him; the joints and muscles of his hips and back gave way and his knees
smote together. 7 The king cried aloud [mightily] to bring in the enchanters or soothsayers,
the Chaldeans [diviners], and the astrologers. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever will read this writing
and show me the interpretation of it will be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold put about his neck and will be
the third ruler in the kingdom. 8 And all the king’s wise men came in, but
they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation of it. 9 Then
King Belshazzar was greatly perplexed and alarmed and the color faded from his face, and his lords were puzzled and astounded.
10 Now the queen [mother], overhearing the exciting words of the king and his lords,
came into the banquet house. The queen [mother] said, O king, live forever! Do not be alarmed at your thoughts or let your
cheerful expression and the color of your face be changed. 11 There is a man in
your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the holy God [or gods], and in the days of your father light and understanding and
wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—the king, I say, your father—appointed
him master of the magicians, enchanters or soothsayers, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 Because
an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, clarify riddles, and solve knotty problems were found
in this same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. 13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. And the king said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel
of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? Now, it had
been a while since Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream for him. Nevertheless, the queen mother remembered
that Daniel was filled with God's Spirit. Then Belshazzar called for Daniel and said, "I have heard of you."
Well, I'm sure that Belshazzar had heard of lots of people but he had heard that Daniel had the Spirit of the holy God in
him. Because the Spirit of God rested in Daniel, he was filled with light, understanding and superior wisdom!
That's the way it will be with us if we allow the Holy Spirit to rule and reign in our own lives. I don't know how
long it was between Daniel's audience with Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. It may have seemed to Daniel like nobody
really knew him. He might have almost felt invisible. But, because of the Holy Spirit, people remembered him.
They heard of him and, in God's timing, Daniel was called and used mightily. It may be that you are going through
a time of feeling like nothing is happening in your life. Like you are not really being used of God. Trust in
the fact that the Spirit moves as it will and no one really knows from where it comes or where it goes - just like
the wind. Daniel was able to help Belshazzar and Belshazzar thought he should make some sort of payment to
Daniel for his insight. But, Daniel was wise and He knew that the glory belonged to God. Daniel 5:16-17 16 But I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations
and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed
with purple and have a chain of gold put around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.17
Then Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be for yourself and give your rewards to another. However,
I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. Daniel knew that
he was endowed by the Spirit of God and he did not want any earthly reward for helping the king. As we find opportunities
to help others by operating in the gifts and love of the Holy Spirit, we should not ask for earthly rewards because
we know that God will reward us in ways we can not even ask or believe! (Ephesians 3:20) Be encouraged! Walk in the Spirit. Help those in need. Know that people will notice you and
remember you but, better than that, God notices and remembers! MORNING MANNA - MAY 27, 2010 HOW SAD TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT Isaiah 63:10 (KJV) In the days
of Isaiah, as he recounted the Lord's care for the children of Israel, he also recounted the fact that, despite the miraculous
care of the Lord for His children, they rebelled against Him! They were bitter and unpleasant toward Him. They
resisted Him and provoked Him even though He had consistently, lovingly and carefully provided for them! They
disobeyed Him and turned against Him. If that wasn't bad enough, they vexed the very core of God - His Spirit.
The word, "vexed," really means, "to carve." If you have ever had a broken heart or felt yourself
cut to shreds by the rejection or abuse of someone you have loved with all of your heart, then you know a little bit about
how God felt when the Israelites vexed His Spirit. They caused him worry, pain and anger. They really displeased
him. They grieved Him. They hurt Him. Everything they did made Him sorry. If you are a parent and
your child has ever turned against you, you know a little bit about what God felt when all of His children rebelled against
Him and vexed His Holy Spirit! While it is true that God
loves us with an everlasting love and His patience is unparalleled, it is also true that He is a God of anger and wrath
when He encounters sin. He is a just God and sin must eventually be dealth with. He always gives us the
choice of whether to obey and have a heart that pleases Him; but He won't make us do that. If we are determined
to rebel against Him and, figuratively, put a sword through our Heavenly Father's heart, at some point we will encounter
His wrath. That's what He told the children of Israel. Of necessity, He had to turn away from the children
He loved because of their sin. He had to fight against the sin in them and, essentially, He became their enemy. There is no way that I want God to fight against me! I doubt
that you do either! First of all, we wouldn't stand a chance! Secondly, we would experience total destruction
and separation from our Creator. Not a good scene at all. Today, if we have received Jesus, we have His
righteousness and His Spirit. We have these things, not because of anything good we have done or because of how
good we are. We have them simply because our Father is the giver of good gifts and He loves us more than we could ever
imagine. We have them to help us live lives of love, power and discipline. We have them to give us
the boldness to share His goodness with others. Still, even in the New Testament, we are warned about grieving His
Spirit. Ephesians 4:30-32 (KJV) 30 And
grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let
all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you. We don't want to imitate the rebellious and bitter children of Israel and grieve the Holy Spirit
as they did. Will there be days when we are tempted to do so? Yes! There will. Our carefully
made plans may be changed in a moment and we may find ourselves in challenging and difficult situations. Even
painful situations. However, it would be, to put it bluntly, just plain stupid, to grieve the only One who can
give us power, love and a sound mind with which to get through these things. We will have trouble in this
world. That's a promise from Jesus that most of us do not want to claim! However, Jesus has also promised
that His Spirit would be with us giving us everything we need to get through those troubles in victory. Do we
ever grieve the Holy Spirit (maybe even in ignorance)? The list in Ephesians 4:31-32 gives us a list of things from which we can make a "spot check." Are we bitter in any way?
Are we prone to rage, anger, and chaotic living? Is our language crude and do we speak positively instead of negatively?
Do we wish anyone harm? Are we kind to one another? Are our hearts sensitive to the feelings of others?
Do we forgive one another easily. Do we remember how many times God has forgiven us over and over again?
These are just a few things that we can use to see how we're doing in the area of either pleasing or vexing the Holy Spirit.
May it be that every day finds us more and more led by the Holy Spirit, walking in joyful obedience because of all that He
has done for us! How sad to grieve the Holy Spirit! MORNING MANNA - MAY 26, 2010 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD Isaiah 61:1 (NLT) The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus and now He has offered that
same Spirit to us. He brought us the good news of the gospel when we were poor and didn't even know it. There
are many people living today that have a multitude of things and property who would be considered to be very rich by most
people in this world but they are really poor because the have never heard of Jesus and His redeeming power. Money
and things cannot buy the eternal joy of the gospel. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord that was upon Jesus is
offered to us today, as believers, so that we might also bring the good news of the gospel to those who are poor and without
any spiritual foundation. We, too are anointed to bring good news to the spiritually and materially poor of our generation.
Jesus, by the Spirit of God also comforted the broken hearted.
There is so much tragedy and confusion in our world today because of rampant sin. There is rejection and abuse.
There are people walking around with smiles on their faces but inside their hearts are broken. You and I could very
well be one of those people. In any case, Jesus is the answer. He was. is, and always will be anointed to heal
the broken hearted. And you and I, if we have received His Spirit, are also equipped to comfort those whose hearts
are breaking. I was in a market check out line two days ago and the checker told me of her own broken heart because
her friend had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I was able to share with her about how the Lord works in the
hearts of those who are distressed and how He can be the Comforter in the midst of the hardest times. I told her I would
pray for her and her friend, Joanne. She was so appreciative. This is how the Spirit works. He offers us
opportunities in the strangest places to bring His comfort to the broken hearted. I have people in my own family who are still prisoners and captive to the world and to the lies of the
devil but, because Jesus has given me His Spirit, I believe that, as I am led by that Spirit, these people will be freed.
They will no longer be captives or prisoners. The Truth that they know because, by the Holy Spirit, I introduce them,
will set them free. I don't see this happening on a moment by moment basis but, by faith, I believe it is being done.
As the Spirit brings opportunity, I pray that I will let His anointing come over me and share the good news that Jesus has
come to set the captives free. Not just those in my family but also those in other families whose loved ones are
praying for them. And then, of course, there are those lost souls out there for whom no one is praying.
John 8:32 (AMP) 2 And
you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. And how will those in the world who are prisoners
and captives know the truth an be set free? This will only happen when we receive the Spirit
of the Lord and walk in power and anointing, spreading the good news of the gospel, comforting the broken hearted and preaching
the person of Jesus, who is the Truth, who will set the captives free! Are we up to the task? If we are
willing, we can do this. We can do all things through Christ who will strengthen us! (Philippians 4:13) Today is a great day to watch for those opportunities and take advantage of them! MORNING MANNA - MAY 25, 2010 GOD'S PROMISE TO HIS CHOSEN ONES Isaiah 44:3 (KJV) 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry
ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: Because I have been meditating on the Holy Spirit
and the season of Pentecost, this scripture from Isaiah 43 caught my attention. Not just because I was dwelling on the Holy Spirit, but because I happen to be visiting
my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. As I see these new born babies and small children growing up in
such a harsh world, I am drawn to the promise that God made to Jacob. In the King James Version, the heading of this
section of scripture refers to God's comforting promise to the church. Let me tell you, I am comforted when I
look at the blessing of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and then look at Isaiah 44:3 where God says He will pour out his Spirit upon my children and their children and their children! God is speaking here to Jacob here, His chosen one. However, as
believers in Christ, we are all chosen of God and it is His desire that all of our children walk in His ways and receive
His Spirit. Now, it is true for many of us that we do not see that happening yet with our physical eyes; but we
must continue to walk by faith and be prayer warriors for our children and all that come after them. God does not do
for one what He will not do for another of His own children. Like Jacob, if we believe and follow in God's ways
and His Word, the blessing is for us too. Before we ever knew it, there were others praying for us. Our parents,
our grandparents and other loved ones. Sometimes people who don't even know us have prayed for us. God has
His people in place and He, by His Holy Spirit, prompts people to pray for others. We, though some of us may like
to think we are, are not self-made. God tells Jacob. "I made you and formed you from the womb and I will
help you. Fear not because I have chosen you." (My paraphrase of Isaiah 44:2) There are things in life that really tempt us to fear. Such things as how our children and grandchildren
will fare in this life and whether they will be lead astray by the evil one and so on. I am so comforted by this verse in Isaiah 44:3. I know that I can trust God to watch out over all my children and those that come after them.
I know I can pray with confidence for their salvation and blessing because I am chosen (not because I deserve it but
because of God's mercy). I know I can pray that they will come to repentance, and be praying within God's will,
because His Word says that He is not willing that any should perish. I'm thinking that He is especially not willing
that any of those He has chosen to believe on Him will have children or grandchildren upon whom, at some point
in their lives, will not turn to Him and receive His Spirit! Not only am I comforted in these words of the Lord,
I am also made confident. As I read on, here is what I read: Isaiah 44:6-8 (NLT) 6 This
is what the LORD says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the First and
the Last; there is no other God. 7 Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove
to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future.
8 Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?
You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!” God
is God and there is not other! He has established us and our families and explained our future in His Word.
We need not fear. God has written down His purposes for us long ago! And His purposes for our children, their
children, and their children! We, who have believed in Christ are truly His witnesses. By His Spirit, we live
and move and have our being. We proclaim Him as Lord as the Spirit fills our mouths with His Words. We can pray
with confidence to our Rock of ages that His Spirit will surely be poured out on the children which He has so graciously
blessed us and loaned to us for a season here on earth. May it be that they see His Spirit in us as they watch us live
and experience the love that flows from us by the power of the Holy Spirit! Let us never forget the promises God has
made to His chosen ones nor forget that we are His chosen ones through Christ Jesus! MORNING MANNA - MAY 24, 2010 I HAVE PUT MY SPIRIT ON HIM Isaiah 42:1 (KJV) We are so fortunate that God saw fit to let
us know years before the fact that Jesus would come to earth. The one in Whom the Father's soul would delight.
Jesus would have God's Spirit upon Him! And Jesus would send that same Spirit into us after He was crucified, buried,
raised, from the dead and ascended into Heaven. John 14:26 (AMP) 26 But the Comforter (Counselor,
Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place,
to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of,
bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. Today, if we will ask to receive Jesus as
our Lord and Savior, He will come in and His Spirit will live within us. God will take delight in us just as He takes
delight in Jesus. Before the Holy Spirit was poured out on those still in the world who would receive Him,
they would have to wait. Luke 24:49 (NLT) 49 “And
now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills
you with power from heaven.” For me, as much as I want to walk in and be led b the Holy Spirit,
certain situations come into my life when I just can't seem to hear Him. Times when maybe, quite honestly, I just want
to get myself out of the situation however I can. Those that were first to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit
were told to wait. Waiting is not always easy. There's that small doubt that what we are waiting for
will not actually materialize. As in all of God's Words, they always accomplish what He says. So, the people
waited just as they were instructed. They obeyed the Words of Jesus and it happened just as Jesus had
said. The people obediently waited and here is what happened.Acts 2:1-4 (KJV) 1 And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven
as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared
unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. We may
have been believers for a very long time and, yet, there are times when Jesus may be saying to us "Wait until
the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with the power from Heaven." There are many situations in our lives
that will not be solved unless we have waited for and received the power from Heaven. Are we willing to wait on
Him even though the enemy is constantly urging us to take things into our own hands? Jesus, who was God's delight and upon whom he Spirit of God rested, was not a boisterous and arrogant person.
He did not cry out in the streets. He didn't have to. God's Spirit was so strongly upon Him that He attracted
crowds wherever He went. People flocked to Him. They knew there was something different about him and they wanted
to see what it was. Isn't that the way it should be with us, who are believers in Christ? We should
not have to yell in the streets or media trying to get people to some to our churches and flock to our ministries.
All we need to do is be like Jesus. When God's Spirit is upon us, people will naturally be drawn to Him. who lives
n us. Isaiah 42:2 (KJV) 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the
street. Also, Jesus would be, and still is, very gentle. When we're bent and broken, just about
on our last legs, He will not bruise us more. When we see people down and out, what is our first reaction?
To crush them because they are a frustration to us? Or to help hold them up and work to heal them because that
is what Jesus wants to do for them through us. Isaiah 42:3 3 A bruised reed
shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. And,
finally, Isaiah 42;4 (KJV) 4 He shall not fail nor
be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. Yes,
finally Jesus will be consistently and totally energized to finish His mission of letting the nations of the world know
His truth. All will be given the choice of receiving Him and His mercy and salvation or receiving judgment.
How are we dong in the world for Jesus toady? Are we waiting carefully for His Holy Spirit to grant us power form Heaven
before rushing out there and making a decision? Are we lifting up and helping those who are broken and bruised?
Are we spreading the truth of His Word so that all will have the opportunity to respond to it receiving salvation?
God delighted in Jesus and God's Spirit was upon Him because that's what Jesus did. Are we doing the
same because God's Spirit is in us also? We can have His Sprit if we will ask for Him, receive Him and
wait for Him to fill us with His power and love. MORNING MANNA - MAY 23, 2010 NOBODY IS EQUAL TO THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD Isaiah 40:13-14 (KJV) 13 Who hath directed
the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom
took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to
him the way of understanding? Do you ever tend to "advise," the Lord when you are praying? I have to admit that I do.
I tend to think I know what I need and what others need instead of submitting my problems and the problems of others
to the wise counsel of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah asks us the question, "Who has taught the Spirit of the Lord."
Obviously, no one has taught Him. He promises to teach us if we will listen. John 14:26 (KJV) 26 But the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. As I live out my everyday life, I am more and more aware that
there is nobody equal to the Spirit of the Lord. I am more and more aware that I need to listen to His teaching and
follow His directions even when they seen illogical. They may even seem to be contrary to what my mind thinks needs
to be done. For instance, today, I had the opportunity to
share the Lord with several members of my family. The times and opportunities were inconvenient when I thought about
how I really wanted to write the, "Morning Manna." I didn't have a whole lot of time to myself to think about
what I thought the Lord would have me write. Instead, I had a lot of interruptions which I would normally consider
to be just that. Interruptions distracting me from the, "mission," that the Lord had given me.
To write. To convey His Word. This is very important. But, what the Lord is showing me, as I age,
is that it is so much more important to live what we know than to know a lot and just talk about it or write about it.
God is all about people. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. He
loved everyone in the world so much that He gave His own Son to die for even those who would mock Him and refuse to
receive the gift of eternal life. God's Spirit knows everything and He doesn't need any advice from me.
He just needs me to be aware of His presence, receive His power, and operate in His love wherever He puts me,
no matter who He brings across my path. So, what
is our, "mission," in life? Of course, we all know it is to serve the Lord. Just how do
we serve Him? We love what He loves and spread that love to those who come into our pathway. The Holy Spirit knows
just when to bring the opportunities to speak words of love and words of affirmation to those who are broken and have lost
their way. He knows the word each one will need to help them get on the right path. The narrow path that leads
to the Lord. He sees the young children that somehow know He's there but have not had anyone to explain just how He
wants to be their Heavenly Father. He sees the older people who have seen His works in the past but are noticing
that He is constantly being left out of the busy lives of today's young families. He so carefully and lovingly places us
in these situations where we get to, and need to, give up our own, "mission," in favor of loving each
of these people just as Jesus loves them. To be His hands, His feet, His heart to a world who hardly knows Him any
more. It was my desire to put much more scripture in this morning's, "Morning Manna," but
the Spirit of the Lord, of Whom there is no equal, and Who needs nothing from me except my surrender, has given
me the opportunity to live out some of the scripture I have been writing about in days past. He has allowed me to speak
His Words of love and encouragement into lives from the newborn to the very elderly and sick, all in one
day! We must study God's Word. We must know God's Word and meditate on it. But, most of all, it must become
our lifestyle. Whatever it is that the Holy Spirit has taught us through His Word, He will also teach us to live out
in the practical world. I am so blessed today and I pray that you are too. Today, I gave up advising
the Holy Spirit (hoping I will remember this for the rest of my life). I just saw Him work and flowed with Him.
It was wonderful. Everything went with the scripture I have already learned and the Spirit blew from person to person
bringing love, encouragement, affirmation, tears, laughter - yes Life! After we have studied and meditated on
scripture, there are times when we just need to flow in all of it as the Spirit leads. This is one of those days
for me. A day of peace, contentment and confidence that God is working in and through my life and in and through the
lives of those He loves, and I love, to bring us all closer to Him. I cannot direct the Spirit of the Lord and
neither can you but, oh, it is glorious when we realize that His Spirit is directing us, giving us understanding and
counsel that will change hearts and lives, including our own! Nobody, not a one of us, is equal to the Spirit of the Lord,
yet He graciously allows His Spirit to flow through the likes of us! Who will you meet today that may require that
you stop what you were intending to do in order to give them a world of love, affirmation, encouragement, peace, hope,
or whatever the Holy Spirit puts within your spirit. Will you stop? It may be the word that changes a life
for the better, gives new hope and even release from suicidal thoughts. Who knows what the Holy Spirit has in mind?
We do know that it is good! And, we never know if this will be our last opportunity to share with others the
love of Jesus. May the Holy Spirit flow through each of us today like never before as we cease from advising
Him and flow with His direction. MORNING MANNA - MAY 22, 2010 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOD'S SPIRIT IS POURED OUT? Isaiah 32:17 (NLT) A very long time ago, the Words from the Lord,
"...in quietness and confidence will be your strength," were spoken over me. Again and again the Lord
has used people to speak those words over me and I receive them. I realize that, although challenges in life come,
when I am quiet before the Lord and confident in Him, I have peace. My circumstances do not always change but something
inside me changes and peace fills the atmosphere of my being and sometimes it even spills out into the atmosphere of
the building where I am! This is not because of me. It's because of the Spirit of the Lord which I have let
have control and He really does make everything all right. It may not look all right on the outside yet, but it is
all right because He says so. And God's Word never fails! When I first read these words about quietness
and confidence, I read them from, Isaiah 30:15 (KJV) 15 For thus saith the Lord GOD,
the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and
ye would not. As I read the words, I realized God's deep longing to give His people strength by allowing
them to be quiet within themselves and confident in Him. Then the next words broke my heart and made me search
my own heart. God said to the people that He wanted to bless so greatly, "...and ye would not." They
refused to let His peace and quietness engulf and indwell them and they refused to be confident in Him. So, they lost
their battles! I have always prayed since then, "Oh Lord, help me to return to you in quiet and confident
rest in every situation, knowing that you are the One in control and that You will supply the strength I
need to meet every battle in life." I don't want to be like the Israelites who refused such a marvelous gift from
God. And yet, there are times in my life, when a surprisingly difficult situation comes up, that my mind starts fretting
and I get maybe more than a bit testy because I have forgotten that my strength and my rest is in returning to the Lord
and receiving the quietness and confidence that will lead me victoriously through my battle and, even better, be a testimony
to those around me that God is, indeed, alive and well and His Spirit lives and works through those who will come to him
with every challenge and every decision in life. Today
I read again in Isaiah 32:17, about this same quietness and confidence. As I read the context, I read about the women of Israel
who had become complaisant. They were blessed greatly by the Lord but they took it for granted. They didn't show
Him the reverence they should. They sort of just expected that they would have fine things and great harvests that
the Lord had given them. But something was happening. There were people rising up who were causing error to
be preached to God's people. These people were oppressing the poor (not just the poor in material things, but also
those who were depressed and overwhelmed with life. While all of this was happening, the Lord was ushering in a Kingdom
of righteousness. Isaiah 32:1-4 (NIV) 1 See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule
with justice. 2 Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams
of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. During this time that Isaiah speaks of there
was great complacency. Isaiah 32:9 (NIV) 9 You women who are so complacent,
rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say! Today, especially
in America, complacency seems to reign. Although the economy may be down, for the most part we are satisfied with
the full shelves in our grocery stores and the many clothes in our closets. We just sort of expect this to keep on
flowing and, yet, because some will not answer the knock from Jesus on their heart's door, nations will turn against Him
and judgment will come. It can come to any nation, including our own, if we leave God out. If we forget to bless
Him and thank Him for all that He is, all He has done for us and for His protection. In this passage, God is speaking
to the women of Israel, however, in my opinion the message goes out to men too. God is not looking for His followers
to be lukewarm and complacent. Oh my! Revelation 3:15-22 (KJV) 15
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. MORNING MANNA - MAY 21, 2010 NOT OF MY SPIRIT Isaiah 30:1 (KJV) 1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel,
but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: Today, it is so important that we are led of the Holy
Spirit. It is important that He, alone, is our Counselor. If we trust in our own understanding, we can get into
big trouble and end up being rebellious. None of us want this to happen because we know that God says that rebellion
is the sin of witchcraft. 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV) 23 For rebellion is as the sin
of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also
rejected thee from being king. We can see what happened to Saul when he was stubborn and rebellious
against God. Now in Isaiah 30:1, we see the Israelites doing the same thing. They think they know best. I've been in situations where
I thought I knew best too but that wasn't the case because I hadn't consulted the Holy Spirit. All I succeeded
in doing was making a mess. Thank God, that even when we make mistakes and get ourselves into a mess, God is able
to turn it into a message if we will come back to Him and take counsel from Him. How many times have we taken
counsel from the world instead of going to God with a problem? God
says that His children walked down into Egypt without asking Him. Isaiah 30:2 2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not
asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Doesn't
what we see with our eyes sometimes lure us away from the Holy Spirit? We tend to forget that we walk by faith and
not by sight. Those Egyptians looked pretty good to the Israelites. They seemed strong and secure.
So, instead of checking it out with God's Spirit, they went back there expecting to find security and protection.
What did they really find? Shame. Confusion. When we get distracted by the world and the things of
the world, they can look like the strength and security the Israelites thought they saw in Egypt. We can get pulled
back into those things so easily. There is a song that says something like this:, "God, You took me out of Egypt,
now take Egypt out of me." The glitzy and soulish things of this world can have a big pull on us, even as believers,
when we are not walking by faith and seeking the counsel of God's Spirit. If we venture back into the world expecting
to find happiness and peace, we will only find what the Israelites found in Egypt. Shame and confusion. The Devil would love us to "go back to Egypt." To put
our confidence in the things of this world. He knows that his work would then be a whole lot easier. All we
would find is disgrace and shame. When we make our own plans, disregarding the Spirit of the Lord and His
plans for us, we will only be piling up our sins. (Isaiah 30:1) We can make that choice if we want to but God has such a much better offer for us! The world
will only offer us, "quick fixes," that will wear off quickly. God's Holy Spirit offers us permanent help
and security. Galatians 5:24-26 (NLT) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus
have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Do you think the Israelites may have been jealous of what they thought the Egyptians had because they saw
with their eyes instead of with their faith? Do you think that the Israelites lost sight of the Spirit of God even
though they had been blessed with so many miracles in the past? Were they tempted to go back to their very captors
in search of security and protection? All of those temptations can be so great for us in this world today, can't they?
Everything we see and read tells us we will be happy if we just have so and so. We will be secure if we just live in
this place or that. We will be, "covered," by all the things of this world. But, just sometimes, we
may forget to see if that fits in with the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Are we running back to something that
will only add sin and pain to our lives when we could be running to Someone who will bring peace, joy, and unfailing
love into our lives. Freedom from condemnation. Truth that will set us free? Galatians 5:16-23 (NLT) 16 So
I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives
us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other,
so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed
by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.19 When you follow
the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition,
dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like
these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
2 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There
is no law against these things! This is our answer. No going back to Egypt, looking for safety,
security, and stuff! No going back to the world to satisfy our needs only to find that we have fallen into shame
and confusion! No! Instead of going off on our own like the Israelites did, let us let the Holy Spirit guide
our lives. His counsel is always best! MORNING MANNA - MAY 20, 2010 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD Isaiah 11:2 (KJV) And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord; It is so exciting, during this season of Pentecost, to know that
God predicted that He would send His Son into the World and that His Spirit would be in His Son. Then, at Pentecost,
Jesus sent His Spirit so that we could all be filled! It seemed as if all was lost when Isaiah wrote Chapter 11.
Isaiah 11:1 (KJV) And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow
out of his roots: But God promised a rod would come out of the stem of Jesse. A Branch would
grow out of his roots! God was talking about Jesus. To us, as believers, Jesus is everything. And God proves
that when He says that His Spirit will rest on Him. Because
of the Spirit of the Lord in Jesus, he has a spirit of wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT) 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus.
For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us
from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast
only about the LORD.” As clever and wise as we think we may be, Jesus is wisdom.
He is our wisdom. We can boast of nothing wise that we do unless we give all the glory to Wisdom, Himself, without
whom we would be totally ignorant. He also has the Spirit of understanding Isaiah 11:3 (KJV) and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD... Not
only does Jesus have a quick understanding of the reverential fear of His Father, He also understands us like no one else
can understand us. When we go through times of temptation and trouble, He knows exactly how we feel
Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJV) 15 For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need. If this morning finds you feeling like nobody else could
possibly know how you feel, then look up. Jesus knows! He went through everything you and I could ever go through
but He, unlike us, did not sin. He is our perfect High Priest and we are invited to go boldly before His throne of
grace to get mercy and grace during our hard times. Jesus also
has the Spirit of counsel and of might. Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) 6 For a child is born to us, a
son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor. He was born for that purpose.
He is our Mighty God, even the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace! Do you need counsel on a very disturbing situation
this morning? Jesus will give it to you. But, He would like you to ask for what you need. Do you need
deliverance? He is your Mighty God. He, being the Prince of Peace, will bring peace and harmony back into you
life where once there was confusion and strife. Jesus has God's Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Just look what we have because Jesus has God's Spirit of knowledge! 2 Peter 1:2-4 KJV) 2 Grace
and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According
as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust. Jesus knew all about the reverential fear of God. Hebrews 5:7-9 (AMP) 7 In the days of His flesh [Jesus]
offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted but needed] and supplications with strong crying
and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God
[His godly fear, His piety, in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father]. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered 9 And, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and
Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him, Just because He was the Son
of God, His life was not a bed of roses. In fact, as the song says, "Like a rose, trampled on the ground,
You took the fall.........." Out of reverential fear of His Father, He took the fall so that we could
have the benefit of salvation! Because the Spirit of God is also in Jesus, He can look at us from the
inside out. And now, that same Spirit is in us if we have received it.d He's not interested in our fine
clothes, diamonds and designer shoes. He looks inside at the heart and its motives. It doesn't matter if we are
poor or rich, Jesus doesn't look at those things so much as he looks at our character and our relationship with Him.
Isaiah 11:4-5 (KJV) 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with
equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
We have something to rejoice about today and every day. Jesus, the root of Jesse, is our Counselor,
our Mighty God. He is our Wisdom and Understanding. He is our knowledge and He has shown us by example how
to live in the reverential fear of the Lord by obedience. He knows everything we are feeling because He has felt
it Himself and He cares. All of this is because of the Spirit of the Lord! If you have not done so before today,
won't you invite the Holy Spirit into your life? He will give you counsel, knowledge, power, comfort, the power to
obey God and so much more! As we approach the day the church celebrates Pentecost Sunday, let's get reacquainted with the
Holy Spirit. While it is true that the Holy Spirit does signs and wonders through us, the great miracle is that
He gives us the power to live for the Lord. To live a righteous and holy life. The wisdom to make proper choices.
The understanding to know His Word. He truly is the essence of God. Of Jesus. The very Spirit
that makes them who they are and will make us obedient, joyful, prosperous, wise, peaceful, and powerful children
of the living God! MORNING MANNA - MAY 19, 2010 I CAN'T HIDE FROM YOUR SPIRIT Psalms 139:7-16 (KJV) It can be quite overwhelming to look at Psalm 139:7 both in good ways and, to put it quite frankly, in scary ways. One thing is for sure. It will encourage
our reverential fear of God. Of course, if we are believers, we are filled with His Spirit so we can't really hide
from it, although some of us try to do it at times. Like when I go shopping and try to leave the Holy Spirit out on
a park bench so I won't feel convicted about buying things I might not need! I'm sure you can think of times when you
might have liked to try to hide from God's Spirit also. How about while watching an "R" rated movie?
Or, it could be a midnight refrigerator raid which includes eating a half a gallon of ice cream. No matter whether
we are believers, who have God's Spirit dwelling in us or whether we are unbelievers, the fact is (whether we believe
it or not), we cannot escape His Spirit. We, as believers, long for and enjoy the manifest presence of God in
our lives. But, even those fools (and I did not say that, God did) who say there is no God can't run far enough to
get away from His presence. He made the world and everything in it and He does not let anything escape His
watchful eye. Psalm 139:8 (KJV) 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou
art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Perhaps you, like me, have had some times
when we felt as though we were so close to the Lord that we were almost experiencing Heaven. Yes, He is
right there! And then, hopefully you are not like me in this area where there are things in our life that we
don't know why we did them but we virtually made the choice to make our bed in Hell. Well, let me tell you
from experience and from the Word of God. You can't even get away from Him when you do something like that! He
is there. He is not wanting to destroy you. He is longing to take you out of the pit. To be your deliverer.
Now, the Israelites found it to be true, as scripture says, that God will not strive with people forever. So,
if you happen to be in that pit of misery because of your own poor choice, repent and allow the Spirit of God to
deliver you. To lift you out. Don't wait to respond to His offer of forgiveness and be too stubborn.
Look what God says about not being able to get away from Him in the sense that, when His patience is spent, He will
set His eyes on those who insist on stubbornness for harm and not for good! Amos 9:2-4 (KJV) 2 Though they dig into hell, thence
shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: 3 And
though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my
sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them: 4 And
though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set
mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good. Of course this is not what God wants for us. He
wants us to turn to Him because His desire is to give us a hope and a future and not to harm us. (Jeremiah 29:11) It is also His desire that all of us should come to repentance and that none of us should face destruction.
2 Peter 3:9-10 (KJV) 9 The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Still the choice
is left to us. The day is coming, and perhaps soon, when there will be no more opportunity to turn around and go God's
way instead of our own stubborn way. Psalm 139:9-10 (KJV) 9 If
I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even
there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. This morning I am taking the wings
of an airplane to go to visit my newborn grand daughter and great-grandson. How's that for blessing upon blessing!
I have never liked to fly. I had a great fear of flying because of seeing a plane crash when I was a very young
child. However, God says when I take those wings this morning, His right hand shall hold me. I have enjoyed
being on cruise ships also and found myself in the uttermost parts of the sea for days when I didn't see a speck of land.
This is an awesome experience because you know that you are nothing compared to that great expanse of water all around you
but God lead me there too. His Spirit has never left me, nor has it left you. Psalm 139:11-12 (KJV) 11
If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both
alike to thee. I also had a great fear of the darkness from the time I can remember but, now I know God's
Word. Even in the darkest of night, God is the Light. I am never in darkness, especially now that I have received
the Light of the World as my Savior. In a very dark and dangerous time, He literally manifested Himself to me
as light and warmth, healing a sickness that the doctors could not diagnose. Now, I don't mean to be politically incorrect
but I cannot agree with abortion because God's Word tells me that His Spirit possessed me even when I was in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13 (KJV) 13 For thou hast possessed
my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. He possessed you too, even before anyone saw you.
No wonder we need to praise His Name! He has never left us alone. He has always been with us, even if and when
we refused to acknowledge that it was Him! We are not self-made people. We are wonderfully and miraculously made
by God. Psalm 139:14 (KJV) 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Try as we might
(but who in their right mind would want to), to get away from God's Spirit and from His presence, it is impossible for the
created to hide from the Creator! Nothing is hidden from Him. Psalm 139:15 (KJV) 15 My substance was not hid from thee,
when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Wow! The Spirit of
God was watching as we were made in secret within the womb. Our substance can be translated our power. It is
from God. Curiously wrought? That means fabricated, embroidered. It denotes a piece of needlework done
in various colors. Psalm 139:16 (KJV) 16 Thine eyes did see my substance,
yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there
was none of them. What does it mean when it says that God saw our substance, yet being unperfect.
It means that He saw us in the embryo stage! Everything about us was already written in His book! We were literally
squeezed into shape and molded into a vessel there in that warm place just as a potter forms a vessel for a certain purpose!
You have a purpose and I have a purpose within God's plan. It was there even when we were just in embryo form.
God's Spirit and God's presence have not lost sight of a single nano-second of our lives from the moment of conception even
to this very day and beyond! If we were to be playing a game of, "hide and seek," with God, we would surely
lose. We can't hide from His Spirit. On the other hand, because He has offered to gift us with the indwelling
of His Spirit, we will always win. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV) 57 But thanks be to God, which
giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord, that we cannot hide from Your Spirit.
Jesus, you are our victory! MORNING MANNA - MAY 18, 2010 DON'T TAKE YOUR SPIRIT FROM ME! Psalms 51:11 (KJV) Even the best of us can yield to sin and go astray. The consequences of our waywardness may have
long-lasting effects but, thank God, we can be forgiven if we confess that sin! That's because our God is loving
and faithful and just! He made a promise to do that but we have to keep up our end of the deal. 1 John 1:9 (NLT) 9 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. We tend to
find those, "if's," attached to all of God's promises! Not a whole lot of people like to preach on repentance
these days. Those kinds of sermons don't fill the churches to overflowing, in general. However, narrow is the
way into the Kingdom of Heaven. It doesn't matter how many people beat a path to the doors of our churches, if
the Word is not preached, not many will find their way to the Kingdom of Heaven! Most churches preach about all
of God's wonderful promises such as healing, prosperity, peace, joy, etc. And, those are all true!
But the promises of curses are also all true if we do not follow in His Word and His Way (His Way being Jesus).
Repentance sounds harsh but really it's a mercy because, without it, we are never forced to look at ourselves for what we
really are without the righteousness of Christ. Without it, we are not able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, no matter
how, "good," we may think we are. Like I said,
even the best of us can stoop to do some pretty sinful things. King David was not above falling, even though he
was a man after God's own heart. Acts 13:22 (NLT) 22 But God removed Saul and replaced
him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything
I want him to do.’ God took His Spirit from King Saul because of disobedience and He chose David
to be King of Israel. God said, "He will do everything I want him to do." Perhaps David did do everything
God wanted him to do but, obviously, he also did a few things that God didn't want him to do! Psalm 51 was written as a song of repentance after David had been found guilty of committing adultery with Bathsheba.
It would be good if you would take the time to read the whole thing, but for now, I'm just thinking about verses ten through
twelve. David knew he had sinned and when it was pointed out to him, he was quick to repent. He knew that his
heart had been blackened by his sin and he new that his own spirit had become complaisant. He also new that sin
would break the relationship of having the pleasure of God's presence with him. He knew that God had removed His Spirit
from Saul and so David, probably having learned through Saul's mistakes, asked God not to take His Spirit from
him. It would be a great testimony if we were able to live out our lives, never having sinned but, that, possibly, could
lead us to the sin of pride which is so subtle. We all have sinned, some in smaller ways and some in very big ways.
We all can pray what David prayed this morning. Psalm 51:1-2 (NLT) 1 Have mercy on me, O God, because
of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2
Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. Oh the joy of knowing that God will
wash us clean from our guilt and purify us! He will even blot out our sins! This is certainly a much better state
of life than living with sin from which we have not repented and carrying the burden every day. Besides that, the
sin that has not been washed away by Jesus can just continue to grow and fester inside of us bringing on all kinds of negative
things in our lives! David said the following: Psalm 51:10 (NLT) 10 Create in me a clean heart,
O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. We can have a clean heart when the Lord takes our sin away. We
can become new creatures. The Lord will take our hard heart and turn it into a sensitive heart. David longed
to have a right spirit within himself. He knew that his loyalties had strayed away from the God he loved. Maybe
some of us have been disloyal to our God too. If so, this is our opportunity as the Holy Spirit prompts us, to confess
that and receive a clean heart. David asked God not to take His Spirit from him and to restore the joy of the salvation
God had given him. We may have salvation but, if we slip and fall into sin, our joy will fade away quickly.
Good news! God news! He will restore the joy of the gift of salvation. Sin keeps us at a distance from
the Lord but repentance restores the closeness of His presence. There is no way we can, by ourselves, keep from making
mistakes, missing the mark, or in plain words, sinning. Lastly, this morning, I am awed by Psalm 51:12: 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit. David asks God to uphold him with His free spirit.
What does that mean? To me it is glorious. It describes God's Spirit as being generous, voluntarily upholding
us, magnanimous, willing to hold us up. It comes from a root word that means such things as, "offered willingly,"
and "presented spontaneously." The Spirit of the Lord is beyond description. What are people
(as the scripture says), that God should even be mindful of us? Yet, He generously, voluntarily, magnanimously,
willingly, and spontaneously presents His Spirit to us when we are willing to come to Him in repentance. Repentance
is not a harsh or ugly word! It is a merciful word. It is a word that, when acted on, causes God to
act willingly and spontaneously on our behalf to uphold us and restore the joy that sin has stolen from us.
Repentance anyone? MORNING MANNA - MAY 17, 2010 MAKING A SOLEMN CONFESSION OF GOD'S GOODNESS AND OUR SINFULNESS Nehemiah 9:20 (KJV) If your mind
works like mine, you forget things sometimes. It is especially easy to forget (or deny) wrong things we have done. We
all tend to deal with sin in our lives differently. Some of us refuse to think we sin but that is not true at all
since we still walk around in an earthly body and in a dirty, sinful world. Thankfully God gives this promise.
1 John 1:8-10 (KJV) 8 If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If
we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. The Israelites, very
long ago, made a solemn confession of their sins and we, too, need to do that daily so that we don't let anything slip
by the offer of God's forgiveness. Some of us repress things. We stuff it back into the recesses of our minds
and deceive ourselves thinking that it is not important or even that it's not there any more. If we have not repented
of that thing, it is still there. Not only that, since it is still occupying a part of our mind, no matter how deep
we have, "stuffed," it, there is still the potential that it will raise its ugly head again and send us down a
path of sin. It can come back and take our focus off of the narrow road and get us onto a side road that leads
to destruction. The Israelites came together for a
fast and a time of repentance. Nehemiah 9:1-2 (KJV) 1
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes,
and earth upon them. 2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed
their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. God's people separated themselves from the world
(strangers). They stood and confessed their sins but that's not all they confessed. They confessed even the
iniquities of their fathers; their ancestors. How many times have you stood before God and confessed the sins of your
ancestors? Whether we like to believe it or not, traditions (some of which are innocently started), personality traits
(especially negative ones), addictions, etc. wind their way down through the generations and we suffer because of them if
there are things that have not been brought to God in repentance. Maybe our ancestors did these things in ignorance.
Maybe they were willfully disobedient. Whatever the case, it's time for us, through the Holy Spirit, to pray that these negative
things (curses) will be broken here and now in our generation! God is faithful and His arm is not too short to reach
back through the generations and cancel anything that has come into our lives through the lack of repentance in those who
have gone before us. Just in case you think that church is not right if it lasts more than one hour, consider
this: 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their
God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. Now,
that's a long service! But, well worth the wait because the weight of their sin was removed and, for this gift, you
can't worship God long enough! No wonder we need eternity to do it! The Israelites took a long time to review all the things that God had done for them in the past.
If we're alive and reading this, God has, indeed, sustained us this far. We have not done it ourselves. It is
totally by His Spirit who gives us new mercies for each new day. Lamentations 3:21-23 (KJV) 21 This
I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S
mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new
every morning: great is thy faithfulness. It is totally by His Spirit that we have made it this
far in life and seen the accomplishments He has allowed in our lives. Zechariah 4:6 (KJV) 6 Then he answered and spake unto
me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the
LORD of hosts. You see, the people of Israel had rebelled and had become hard-hearted complainers, not
satisfied with what they had, but instead focused on what they didn't have. Nehemiah 9:16-17 (AMP) 16 But they and our fathers acted
presumptuously and stiffened their necks, and did not heed Your commandments. 17 They
refused to obey, nor were they mindful of Your wonders and miracles which You did among them; but they stiffened their necks
and in their rebellion appointed a captain, that they might return to their bondage [in Egypt]. But You are a God ready to
pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great steadfast love; and You did not forsake them. However,
the bottom line was this: Nehemiah 9:19 (KJV) 19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies
forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither
the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. God did not forsake
them in the wilderness. They were in the wilderness a very long time because of their complaining and grumbling.
But, even then, God did not forsake them! If you are in a wilderness season in life, give up the complaining.
Stop grumbling! God has chosen not to forsake you but you have the choice as to whether or not to forsake Him.
In the wilderness God led His naughty children with a pillar of cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire by night.
He never stopped giving them direction! He's never going to stop giving us direction either. We have it through
the B.I.B.L.E. (basic instructions before leaving earth). We have it through His Holy Spirit who has promised to teach
us all things (if we will stop to listen). John 14:26 (AMP) 26 But the Comforter (Counselor,
Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place,
to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of,
bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. As we read about the time the Israelites were in the
wilderness, we see that God provided them with everything they needed. Nehemiah 9:15 (KJV) 15 And gavest them bread from heaven
for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should
go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. What they needed was Jesus.
And, although He had not been born yet as the Son of Man, God gave them Jesus in the wilderness. He gave them the Bread
from Heaven and the Living Water, along with the assurance that the Promised land was theirs! All of those things
are still here for us today, even when we are walking through a wilderness season. The one thing that will start us
out of that season and into a season of refreshment and revival is repentance. I didn't say it. Jesus did!
Matthew 4:17 (AMP) 17 From that time Jesus began to
preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins),
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If we go before God, baring our heart before His eyes, He will convict
us to the point of repentance. He will not condemn us. He will convict us, giving us the opportunity
to make the choice to repent. When we do, like the Israelites, we won't be able to stop worshipping Him! The
scales of sin that used to blind us to His greatness will be taken off and we will see Him for the loving, awesome, powerful,
compassionate, healing, protector, Father, Friend............. You can keep on with this list. It will take
eternity. He is Lord! He has given us His Spirit! Whether we worship Him in silence because we are speechless
at the thought of His greatness or whether we worship Him with a loud voice of excited celebration, we need to worship Him.
And one more thing. Worship is a sacrifice that is pleasing to God. The very first time the word, "worship,"
was used in the scripture was when Abraham used it in connection with offering his son, Isaac, back to God when God asked
him to do so! Repentance and worship will mean that we turn around and go God's way, surrendering everything in our
lives to Him. We can't make such sacrifices on our own but He still offers His Spirit to instruct us and give
us the power to repent and worship Him. MORNING MANNA - MAY 16, 2010 OH, THAT ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE WOULD BE FILLED WITH GOD'S SPIRIT AND PROPHESY! Numbers 11:29 (AMP) Unfortunately, Moses, as patient and humble as he was, became overwhelmed with the grumbling of the people
of Israel. The Lord had provided Manna from Heaven for them to eat and it tasted like cakes baked in fresh oil. They
always had just the amount they needed for the day and, although they had to go early in the morning to gather it, they did
not have to gather on the Sabbath because enough was provided on the day before the Sabbath for two days. This Manna
was actually a representation of the true Manna from Heaven, which was Jesus,. Himself. One of the hard sayings
from the scriptures is the following verse. John 6:57-59 (KJV) 57 As the living Father hath sent
me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This
is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread
shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
In my opinion (for whatever it might be worth and, hopefully, I am led of the Spirit here), I think Jesus
was referring to Himself as being the Word. Every morning (and all day through), we have the Word available for
us to feast from. Like the children of Israel, perhaps we, too, get tired of the Manna and desire the tasty tid-bits
from the world. Anyway, Moses felt extremely burdened by
all these complainers and I would think that He felt a righteous anger because the people were so complaisant about
the gift of the Manna that God sent every day for their sustenance. Nothing like slapping God in the face when He gives
you a gift. Finally, Moses could handle it no longer. Numbers 11:10-15 (KJV) 10 Then Moses heard the people
weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also
was displeased. 11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy
servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me,
Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence
should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour
in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. Have you ever been so overwhelmed with the demands
of those you have been given to care for that you finally said, "I can't bear this any more Lord! Just kill me!"?
We can get overburdened, especially if we try to balance career with family and if we are blessed with very large families
who have many needs. God is good. He heard Moses's plea and He made a way where there seemed to be no way,
as usual. Numbers 11:16-17 (KJV) 16 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the
people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit
which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it
not thyself alone. God arranged for Moses to have seventy of the elders of Israel meet at the tabernacle
and stand with him. Then God would take His Spirit, which was upon Moses, and put it on these men so they could help
Moses bear the burden of the people. God was about to bring relief. That's the way He is with us too, isn't
it? He now has poured out His Spirit upon all who will receive Him and has become our Comforter; our burden-bearer.
Are you overburdened today with pressures and demands from family, employment, school, or church? God will bring relief
to you also if you will go to Him in prayer! So, the Lord made good on His promise to Moses. (God always makes
good on all His promises!) Numbers 11:25 (KJV) 25 And the LORD came down in a
cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to
pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. So far, very good,
right? There was just one hitch. Two of the men did not make it to the gathering at the tabernacle for some reason
but the spirit fell on them too and somebody heard it and felt the need to be a "tattle-tale."
Numbers 11:26-27 (KJV) 26 But there remained two of the
men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they
were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. Oh
dear, more strife! This young man ran to tell Moses that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp.
He told Moses; but Joshua just couldn't resist getting into the mix! Numbers 11:28 (KJV) 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the
servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. Poor Moses!
First he had to put up with all of the people overwhelming him with their complaints and now Joshua, who was a man of God,
felt the need to start telling Moses what to do! Moses seemed patient enough, although I admit that, if I
would have been Moses, I probably would have raised my voice a bit about this time! Numbers 11:29 (KJV) 29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest
thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! I
have checked many different versions of the scripture and they all say basically the same thing for Numbers 11:29. Moses wanted all the people to be prophets and he wanted the Lord to put His Spirit on all of
them! Perhaps Joshua had a moment of jealously in his own heart. Who knows? We're all capable. After
all, Joshua was Moses chosen one to lead the people after his death. Maybe Joshua was not yet the servant-leader he
should have been. Maybe he had some more growing to do. However, Moses had God's desire within his heart.
He wanted all of the people to have God's Spirit. Today, that is possible. Moses's desire was granted (although
we are given the choice as to whether to receive the Spirit or not). As for those people who were complaining so badly
about the Manna, God answered their complaining too. He sent them so much quail that they got deathly sick.
What they insisted upon having, God gave them, showing them that it would have been much better to enjoy what God had given
them rather than complain about what they didn't have! First of all, are we satisfied and even enjoying the Manna from
Heaven, God's Word which is fresh for us every day? Secondly, are we complainers and grumblers, insisting on our own
way only to be left throwing up and losing the very thing we desired most? Thirdly, is it our desire that all
men should receive the Holy Spirit and prophesy or are we jealous if one seems to have more of the Spirit than we do?
I found many things in this one scripture. Things to be thankful for and things with which to check
my own heart. Be encouraged today, Enjoy the Word. Feed on the Manna from Heaven and share it with
everyone. Let the Spirit lead us and let us rejoice with all who are also walking in the Spirit! Would
that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them! MORNING MANNA - MAY 15, 2010 JOSHUA HAD THE SPIRIT OF GOD TOO Numbers 27:18 (KJV) We all have a specified time here on earth.
God was getting ready to take His servant, Moses, Home. Numbers 17:12 (KJV) 12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount
Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also
shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. God spoke to Moses about
his rebellion against God at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin when there was strife among the
congregation. Even among strife in our lives, God expects us to reverence Him before others. You can probably
think of times when there was strife in your family, your school, your workplace, and your church when you were just
so frustrated, you were tempted to sin. Moses was one of the most humble men that ever lived. Numbers 12:3 (AMP) Now the man Moses was very meek
(gentle, kind, and humble) or above all the men on the face of the earth. Yet, even Moses, mighty man
of God that he was, succumbed to sin when strife arose among those he was trying to help! Moses had the Spirit
of God on him but, obedient as he was almost every time, his flesh and anger got the best of him. When this happens
to us, the first thing we need to do is repent as quickly as possible and fall on our face before the Lord asking for His
forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 (AMP) If we [freely] admit that we have
sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss
our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose,
thought, and action]. Moses was, obviously, forgiven because he was one of the two that appeared
on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. (Matthew 17:3) However, Moses did have to suffer the natural consequences of his sin. He was not able to enter the Promised
Land after leading that bunch of complaining and grumbling people for forty years! So, if there are people in our
lives who are stirring up strife, we need to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, putting anger (even righteous
anger), bitterness and rage away from us and let the Spirit operate in all of His fullness. At the end of our lives,
God may deal with us about ways we have, "missed the mark." That's why it is so important to be sensitive
to the conviction of the Holy Spirit constantly and repent quickly so we don't carry along extra baggage that is going to
have to be dealt with sooner or later. Better sooner! Now that Moses was finished with his work on earth, God was ready to set up another leader for the Israelites.
He is never in favor of His sheep (another word for His children) to be without a shepherd. Now that He has sent His
Son, the Lamb of God, to be a perfect sacrifice for our sins, we have a perfect Shepherd. The Good Shepherd.
John 10:11 (KJV) 11 I am the good shepherd: the
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Now, if you have not taken any time to rejoice yet today
(which is the day the Lord has made just for you), this is good reason to start singing and send your song winging
up to the Lord. He is our Shepherd. We don't have to want for anything! (Psalm 23) Moses had such a heart after God's own heart that, even though he knew he was about to die, his
mind was on the people that God had given him to lead. Is this not like Jesus? Even in death, Jesus thought of
others. He thought of His mother. He thought of the Apostle John. He forgave those who
murdered and mocked Him. He looked across time and eternity and thought of you and me! So, Moses spoke with the
Lord and, as it turned out, his thoughts were in accord with God's will! That's how it will be with us too when our
hearts and minds are fully committed to our Shepherd! Numbers 27:15-17 (KJV) 15 And Moses spake unto the LORD,
saying, 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man
over the congregation, 17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before
them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have
no shepherd. Moses and God were in agreement that the one chosen to lead the people into the Promised Land
must have God's Spirit within him. Moses had a certain person in mind too. His name was Joshua. Again, I'm so aware of the detail and depth of God's Word! Joshua
means, "Jehovah saved." It's another word for Jesus! Joshua is a type of Jesus. One chosen by
God to save His people. Joshua is just a little glimpse for us of the coming Jesus who would once and for all lead
His people out of slavery, through the wilderness, over the Jordan, and into the Promised Land of the Kingdom of Heaven!
Glory, glory! Jesus is our Savior. He is the One that Jehovah sent to save us! Joshua was the son of Nun.
How about these names God uses to show us He is so involved with the affairs of men! The name, Nun, has to do with
perpetuity. It has to do with something that is perpetual. Nothing is more perpetual than Jesus! And, Joshua
was a type of Jesus! Just as an aside here, I saw something I had never noticed before when reading Numbers 27:15-17 . Moses acknowledged God as the, "God of the spirits of all flesh." If
we look around today, it is interesting to note that many people do not consider that their spirits are under the dominion
of God! There is much arrogance and pride going on in our world today because men and women have not realized that
God is the God of the spirits of all flesh. If you have ever had a near-death experience, that fact will
become extremely clear to you! As the scripture lets us know, we are but the clay. God is the Potter.
Isaiah 64:8 (KJV) 8 But now, O LORD, thou art our
father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. And, if
we are believers, we are not our own. We are bought with a price. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (AMP) 20 You were bought with a price
[purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. None
of us would be living, breathing creatures if God had not breathed the breath of life into Adam. The word for breath
also means spirit. Genesis 2:7 (AMP) 7 Then the Lord God formed man
from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being. Yesterday,
I saw that the Spirit of God was in Joseph. Today, I see that the Spirit of God was in Joshua too. They were
both types of Jesus. They were both chosen of God, not so they could be proud of their position and have others serve
them. No! They were leaders ruled by the Spirit of God. They served others. Even others that hated
them, ridiculed them, complained, about them, lied about them, tricked them, and even worse! If we are led by
the Holy Spirit today, God has chosen us to do something very special and it is not for our own aggrandizement or glory.
It is for Him and for His Kingdom. Since He is a lover of every person He created, the highest calling we
can receive is to serve others in the Name of the Lord. The Spirit was in Joseph and Joshua. Is the Holy
Spirit living and ruling in you too? If so, be prepared, God has a job for you to do that will bring Him
glory! And, in case you think going through some of the things that Joseph and Joshua went through is just too hard
for you, remember that Christ will give you the strength and then God will reward you! It will all be more than worth
it! We can't do anything for God without receiving much more in return. He's just that kind of, Daddy!
Lead on Holy Spirit in our lives (like you did in Joseph and Joshua) and use us to make a difference in this cold and
cruel world! MORNING MANNA - MAY 14, 2010 WE ARE GIFTED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD Exodus 31:3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all
kinds of crafts. A
very long time ago, God had a project in mind. He could have very well miraculously completed that project all by Himself.
Nothing is impossible for God. But, also, nothing is impossible with God. How gracious and amazing it is that
God will use us to work with Him on His projects here on earth! He was orchestrating the construction of the tabernacle
and all that went in it. So, He spoke to Moses and told Moses He had chosen Bezaleel and filled him with
the Spirit of God. Now, Bezaleel means, "in the shadow or protection of God." Bezaleel was from the
tribe of Judah. Judah has within its meaning, "praise and worship." Do you think it is any
accident that God chose someone in the shadow of and protected by Himself and from the tribe of praise and worship
to be one of the key players in the building of the tabernacle? Because of Jesus, you and I are in the shadow
and protection of God. Psalm 63:7-8 (NLT) 7 Because you are my helper, I
sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand
holds me securely. Because of Jesus, we are told to rejoice always and then told to rejoice again!
Philippians 4:4 (NLT) 4 Always be full of joy in the
Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Today is the day that the Lord has made and we are in the shadow
of and protection of God. Today is the day to praise and worship letting the joy of the Lord flow from us!
Just like Bezaleel, we, too, have been chosen of the Lord for a special task. Gifted to do a certain thing in partnership
with the Lord to build His Kingdom! The King James Version says that God called Bezaleel by name. Can you hear
God calling you by name this morning to commission you to the tasks you were created to do for Him before the beginning
of the world? God not only called Bezaleel by name, He filled
him with His own Spirit and poured in, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and (as the King James Version says), all manner
of workmanship. In other words, deputy ship in ministry! God's Spirit caused Bezaleel to be able to devise all
kinds of cunning works, giving him the imagination to devise inventions, to work with purpose and thought. God is
no respecter of persons. He has called each one of us and gifted us by His Holy Spirit with the ability to be a "deputy,"
in the ministry of His Kingdom. Obviously, He has not called everyone to do the same thing because many
things are needed within the Kingdom. However, He will enable us to develop those gifts He has given us so that
we, like Bezaleel can work with purpose and thought, devising and imagining ways to have our work glorify God. Are
are feeling stuck in a rut and you don't know exactly what you're supposed to be doing? Ask God. He is faithful
to show us His will. Romans 12:2 (KJV)) 2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God. I wonder if Bezaleel knew that he could perform such feats as God was preparing him to
do? Through Christ, we can do things we never dreamed would be possible if He has called us to do them. God called Oholiab to be Bezaleel's assistant. Oholiab means,
"tent of his father." And, who was his father? It was Ahisamach, meaning, "brother of support."
Names meant a lot in those days. It's so interesting that Oholiab was from the tent of his father, Ahisamach which
means, "brother of support." Oholiab was a brother of support to Bezaleel! God is very orderly and
often leaves us clues within scripture to help us put the whole picture together and understand His Word more fully.
Some of us were created to be top leaders and others to be assistants, both of which positions are crucial to building
the Kingdom of God. Then there were others under them who were also gifted with certain special skills.
Exodus 31:6 (NLT) 6 “And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach,
of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make
all the things I have commanded you to make: God has gifted each of us believers in Christ with special
skills with which to use to help build His Kingdom and glorify Him in the process! What has He given you to do?
It is not good to compare ourselves with others because that will only cause confusion and strife. What we need to
do is to learn to be comfortable in our own skin and be led of the Spirit of the Lord which He has placed within us.
He will do the rest as we follow His directions. Whether we are top leaders, assistants, or skilled workers, we
are all loved by and important to God and He has chosen us carefully to perform His will in the thing He has given
us to do. So, whatever it is we have been called to do, let's determine not to look at what others are doing but
to do what we are given to do with all our might, "as unto the Lord." Colossians 3:23-24 (KJV) 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. As God has gifted us through
His Holy Spirit to do specific things, we also should pass those things on down to others. That's what happened in
the case of Bezaleel and Oholiab; they were also to teach others. So are we. God expects us to, "pass
the torch," so to speak so that others can continue in the giftings from the Holy Spirit and help build the Kingdom whose
foundation and builder is ultimately God but aren't you glad He has chosen you and me, filled us with His Spirit and
gifted us with exactly what we need to work in unity with Him? Abraham, the father of our faith, could only
look for what we have today. Hebrews 11:10 (KJV) 10 For he looked for a city which
hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. We get a glimpse of how God works through Bezaleel and
Oholiab. But, right now, today, let's ask the Lord to show us exactly what He has gifted
us to do and get to work doing it! I think I remember that Jesus said to work, for the night is coming.
Then we will no longer have the opportunity to use the Holy Spirit giftedness to help a lost and dying world enter into
the "tabernacle," of the Lord. Into the Kingdom of Heaven. John 9:4 (KJV) 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work. Is it not time for us to follow the example of our Lord who has so graciously
put His own Spirit into us, empowering us to do the same works He did? Works even greater than Bezaleel and Oholiab? MORNING MANNA - MAY 13, 2010 THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN US WILL BE NOTICED! Genesis 41:38 (KJV) 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as
this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? Pharaoh saw something good in Joseph! Joseph had lived through some very hard times in his life.
In fact, he barely lived when his brothers got so jealous of that good thing in him that they tried to kill him by throwing
him into a pit to die. Because Joseph had favor with God and God had a plan for his life, one of his brothers,
Reuben, made sure he was pulled from the pit. But, still, they sold him to some Midianite merchants who were traveling
through the land. Here is a story we can all desire to have in our lives and we can have it. We can
go from the pit to the palace, not by our own strivings, but because our God has offered us His Spirit and, if we have received
this offer, people are going to take notice! Things are going to happen in our lives, not by our own might or power,
but by God's Spirit! That's what the Lord says! Here
was Joseph, young, away from his earthly father whom he loved deeply, betrayed by his brothers. Most of them actually
wanted to kill him! All because they saw that he had favor. The Spirit of the Lord was with him. Perhaps
the Lord had nudged his brothers with His Spirit also but, just maybe, they didn't listen. Or, worse yet, they were
not interested. We don't know; but we do know they exhibited traits that were not of God's Spirit. James 4:1-6 (KJV) 1 From whence
come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye
lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be
a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit
that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Isn't it true that Joseph's brothers wanted what Joseph had
and ended up trying to kill him when all they had to do was humble themselves before God and receive the unique calling
and gifts God would give them through His Spirit? All they had to do was ask! Well, some of us can relate to the things Joseph had to endure even though the Spirit of God was
with him. He ended up going from a pit, to Potiphar's house, to a prison before he finally ended up in the palace!
Along his journey things did not change. He went through trial after trial including temptation, scandal, false accusation,
being taken advantage of, and being forgotten. Not to speak of his grief from not knowing if his father was still
alive and well. I'm sure that most of us can relate to going through some of those things (and maybe many of those
things) in our own lives. However, because Joseph had the Spirit of God in him, he never gave up. We must not
give up either! He operated with integrity and kindness. Even though this is a story from the Old Testament,
Joseph demonstrated the characteristics of God's Holy Spirit. Going through all of those challenges could have left
Joseph a bitter man who only thought about all the times he was, "done wrong." However, he maintained his
Godly character and waited a very long time in extremely hard circumstances. Finally, one day, when
times were very hard in Egypt, Pharaoh looked for a man to help bring relief and deliverance to the people. Guess
what? All of Joseph's Godly living paid off! Pharaoh looked at his servants and asked if it was not true that
they could find no other man such as Joseph! Why? Because the Spirit of God was in him! Everyone in
Joseph's life had noticed this but most of them were so jealous that they persecuted him instead of following his example.
It could be that it's been that way for some of us too. But, this one day was like no other day. This day, Pharaoh,
the ruler of the whole land, noticed Joseph and exalted him to the second highest position in the land. Genesis 41:39-43 (KJV) 39 And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be
ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41 And Pharaoh said
unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. Again, God has never said that we would
go through life with no trials, only that His Spirit would be with us. Joseph didn't give up through all the trials
he had to endure (and there were many that I did not have time to mention). He lived the life that God's Spirit moved
him to live. That's what we have to do too. When we do, people will take notice. Some will persecute
us and mock us but, in God's perfect timing, we will see what God has been planning for us all along. It will be good!
It will be very good. So, let us not be weary in well doing. In season, just like Joseph, we will reap
if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9) By the way, Joseph was able to save the lives of the family that he still loved, even though they had rejected
him, because He lived a life under the leading of the Spirit. It may be hard for us now and our families may not recognize
that God is working through us to do something wonderful for them but, even when it looks like no one else seems notice,
if we have invited the Spirit to live within us, God notices! His desire is to save our families and we, like Joseph,
can be used to bring that about. There is a palace waiting for those who are willing to stick with the Lord even through the
pit, the "temptation in Potiphar's house," and the prison! God is good and His Spirit gives us the
power to meet the potential that He has placed in us! His Spirit in us cannot be ignored. It will be
noticed and He will get the glory! MORNING MANNA - MAY 12, 2010 IS GOD'S SPIRIT HAVING TO STRIVE WITH YOUR SPIRIT? Genesis 6:3 (KJV) When God wrote
these words in Genesis 6:3, it was because there was great wickedness going on in the world. I would suppose that God is seeing
that same thing happen in our day, wouldn't you? We have been given the opportunity to turn to God numerous times.
In fact, all through scripture, God begs and pleads with men and women to acknowledge that He is God. He allows
circumstances to come into the lives of people and then says, "you will know that I am God." The
following is just one example of His great desire that we know that He alone is God. Exodus 6:7-8 (NLT) 7 I will claim you as my own people,
and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. 8 I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it
to you as your very own possession. I am the LORD!’” His
desire is that we follow, obey, love and serve Him because His plans are best. After all, no one knows how to work
with the created better than the Creator! In so many ways and with so many loving and caring Words, God calls us to
Himself. He breath's; His life-giving Words over us to help us come close to Him. Yet He does not force
us. He wants it to be our decision. Hopefully, if you are reading this, it has been your decision to accept
His invitation to come to Him and find real life through His Spirit. In the day
that God spoke the words of Genesis 6:3 ,and I daresay in our day, there were people who would not recognize or acknowledge God. They
either turned away from hearing His Spirit call to them or they were just too busy with their evil-doing to even hear it
at all. At that point, God said that His Spirit would not always strive with man. In other words, His Spirit
would not always plead with man. One version of the scripture says that God's Spirit will not "put up with
men for a long time." Another version says that God's Spirit will "not forever dwell with man." Still
another says, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever." The Living Bible says, "My Spirit will
not forever be disgraced in man, wholly evil is he." The writer of The Message puts it this way: "Then
GOD said, "I'm not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly." These are all pretty accurate in
that God cannot look upon evil and, though He is patient and desires men to turn from evil, He has a specified time, that
only He knows, when He will quit breathing His Words of live into and over us. Our time to make a choice to follow
Him is limited but we don't know how limited it is. The Strong's Dictionary lists the word, "strive," as
being translated in the following ways: judge, plead the cause, contend, execute, plead, strife, and strive.
Can you imagine God's sadness and grief when His Spirit constantly breathes love and invitation to people, only to be turned
away time and again? Some people hear His Spirit pleading but they decide to, "wait a while," before answering
the call. There are some earthly things they want to experience before surrendering. Very dangerous! We
do not know when the time for each of us will come to an end and God will stop striving, pleading, inviting, and breathing
His Spirit over and into us! There can be a very happy and
glorious ending to this story regarding the words in Genesis 6:3 though. Although we are only flesh, created from the dust of the earth, we are still made in God's
image. His desire for us to end our striving with Him was so great that He sent His Son in the form of a man to live
a sinless life, be crucified with the weight of all of our sin on Himself, raise Himself from the dead by the very Spirit
of God, ascend back to Heaven and then send that Spirit back to us so that we could be filled. We can now
be filled with the very Spirit that has been pleading for us to come to Him! Galatians 5:16 (KJV) 16 This
I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Isn't it wonderful of
our God to fill us with His Spirit and allow us to walk in it so we won't do those evil deeds that displease Him so much
that He finally decides to stop pleading with us? He didn't say it would be easy though. Galatians 5:17-18 (KJV) 17 For the flesh lusteth against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that
ye would. However, we do know that He said we could do all things through Christ, who would give us
the strength! We are promised that if we allow God's breath or His Spirit to lead us, we will not be under the law.
Galatians 5:18 (KJV) 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye
are not under the law. We won't need the law because the Spirit of God is perfect and we will be walking in
it, doing what is good! How exciting is that? The very things that made God say that His Spirit would not always
strive with people are listed for us and we know that, if we have received His Spirit and are walking in it, we have no
desire to do those things any more! Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV) 19 Now the works of the flesh are
manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that
they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Praise the Lord that, if we have received
Jesus and been filled with His Spirit, we will not do those things mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21. Instead of being left out of the Kingdom of God, we will walk it out on earth and walk right into it when our work
on earth is done! If God is still striving with you and me in any area of our lives, let's just throw up our hands
and give up! Let's make that decision to walk in His Spirit and be led by Him! So many in our world
have chosen the ways listed in Galatians 5:19-21 but we can walk in the Spirit of God and be an example, perhaps snatching some from the kingdom of darkness and ushering them
into the Kingdom of God. Perhaps God would like to use you and me to plead with those people to
hear His Spirit and walk in it. Are we up to the task? He is breathing over us now calling us away from the
evil world into a Kingdom of peace, joy, and abundant and eternal life. Who, by our example, will be coming along
with us? May it be that God's Spirit will no longer have to strive without spirit because we have willing surrendered
to Him! MORNING MANNA - MAY 11, 2010 THE SPIRIT IN THE BEGINNING Genesis 1:2 (KJV) 2 And the earth was
without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Perhaps because we are moving toward the day of
Pentecost, I have been really thinking about the Holy Spirit. It is interesting to me that the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters when the earth was without form and void. Interesting because, before Christ comes
into our lives, we are pretty much like the earth was when it was in darkness. The earth, at that time, according
to the Hebrew word translated, "without form," was lying in waste. It was a worthless thing. Confusion reigned.
It was an empty place. Maybe you remember your life being like that before Jesus sent His Spirit into your heart.
It's also possible that we know people who have lives that are empty and wasted. Many times, we don't even know we're
in that condition. We might feel empty but we have no idea about how to fill that void so we turn to the things of
this world, continually searching for and trying things that only bring more confusion and desolation into our lives.
When the Bible speaks of the earth being void, it is indicating that it was an undistinguishable ruin. How
often do we see people whose lives are an undistinguishable ruin? For those of us who have the Spirit within us, it
is so important that we hold these people up in prayer, asking God to open their eyes to His Spirit fluttering
over them and open their ears to His Spirit calling to them. Right in the beginning, there was darkness on the face of the earth. The earth was just an abyss of surging
water. It's interesting, isn't it that our bodies are made up of mostly water? Without the Holy Spirit,
like the earth was at the beginning, we are just filled with misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow and wickedness.
We are children of darkness without the Holy Spirit But, with Him, we become children of light, children of the day.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 (KJV) 5 Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Some people, unfortunately,
love the darkness. They are like a victim of a kidnapping who have become bonded to their captor and would rather
stay in that condition because it has become normal to them. They are deceived. John 3:19 (KJV) 19 And this is the condemnation,
that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. How
sad that we get so used to the darkness and confusion that we can't see or embrace the light! As we stay in the
darkness, we take on the deeds of darkness. But, God didn't leave His world in confusion and darkness. All
the while, His Spirit was moving on the face of the waters. God was brooding over His creation, but apparently
not the way we might brood as human beings. His Spirit was relaxed and fluttering over the earth. He was moving
it, shaking it, bringing order to it. That's what His Spirit is doing today over you and me and even over those who
seem disinterested in coming out of the darkness into the light. He is not anxious over us because He knows that He
has the power to bring order out of chaos. Not only does He have the power, but He has the desire. Added to that
desire is His patience and love for us. If you are not a believer and you do not have the Holy Spirit within you,
you may just be feeling a bit of divine shaking right about now. God loves us all too much to leave us in darkness
and confusion. If you are a believer and there is something in your life that is out of order, you can know that the
Spirit of God is fluttering over you wanting to bring peace to your troubled spirit if you will listen to Him and obey. No matter what you may be going through today, the Spirit of the Lord
is that Spirit that broods over all that concerns you. He flutters over you waiting for you to feel that gentle
breeze. He may even shake up some things in your life in order to create something of beauty and order. If we
are sensitive to His Spirit moving in and around us, we will be able to feel that peace that He has given us rise up
within us and be content as He moves things around within us and around us to bring order. Right from our
beginning, God's Spirit has been moving over us drawing us to Himself. Although our lives may be filled with confusion
at times and we may experience darkness, especially if we have not surrendered our lives to the Spirit that has been
drawing us to come to Him, the fact is that we cannot bring order to our lives in and of our own ability
or effort. I found the following illustration that pretty much says it like it is. The Spirit
of the Lord is the only one who can complete such a task in us and we will do well to remember that! You Can't Do It! An old man once said, that it took him forty years to
learn three simple things. The first was that he could not do anything to save himself; the second was that God did not
expect him to; and the third was, that Christ had done it all, and all he had to do was to accept the accomplished fact.
When it comes to Holy-Spirit filled living and the grace of God, always keep this little saying in your hearts and minds: You
can't. God never said you could. He can; He always said he would! Bible
Illustrations - Bible Illustrations – Practical Bible Illustrations From Yesterday and Today. MORNING MANNA - MAY 10, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATHS," FROM GOD - PART TWENTY-FOUR Unlike the all the rest of the, "Morning Manna," devotionals,
this one does not contain a specific verse. This one will be different and I hope you will be blessed by it.
Yesterday, I heard a recitation that reminded me of something I wrote in one of the earlier, "Morning Manna's."
I said that this series would be very long if I were to write on all of my favorite, "breath's," from God because
every word in the Scripture is, "God-breathed," and each and every one contains life from the Life-Giver.
I am going to share what I heard yesterday morning and hope you will be as encouraged and lifted up as I was when
I remembered just a tiny bit of what God is to me, and for me, in each book of the Bible. It just made me want
to read the whole thing through and through; finding God in every verse! I hope it has that effect on you too.
And, I dare say that, even these few things that show us some of the characteristics of the great God we serve will brighten your
day, let you know that you are loved, lift you above your circumstances and remind you of the many ways in which
God lovingly works in your life! The words were written by Jeoffrey Benwrd and Jeff Silvey. The first thing
I noticed is that in the Book of Genesis, God is described as, "the breath of life." In Genesis, He's the breath of life In Exodus, the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our High Priest Numbers, the
fire by night Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice In Joshua, He is
salvation's choice Judges,
law giver In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet Ezra,
true and faithful scribe In Proverbs, wisdom's cry He is, He is, HE IS! In
Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace In Hosea, He is forever faithful In Micah, the promise of peace In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings He is, He is, HE IS! In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah Ephesians, our glorious treasure In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant While I only heard the above part yesterday, I looked up the whole song and it ends like this: He
is, He is, HE IS! The prince of peace. The Son of man. The Lamb of God. The great I AM. He's
the alpha and omega. Our God and our Savior. He is Jesus Christ the Lord. And when time is no more He is,
HE IS! Normally, I would not use just the words from a song for the Morning Manna, but God
is also a God who sees the future and helps us be prepared for the unexpected. I am now recovering from what I hope
is either food poisoning or just a really bad case of the flu. I was so weak that I felt I could not sit up and write
the Morning Manna. However, God had prepared me ahead of time to be able to share something that I pray will help you
ponder throughout the day, come what may, that you are covered by an awesome God who is everything you need. You can
find a breath of life anywhere you look in any of the above books of the Scripture because Jesus is The Word! Of
course, God is ever so much more than what is described in the lyrics of this song, but this is a good start. Actually
God is, the, "I AM," of whatever it is that you need in your life today! MORNING MANNA - MAY 9, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART TWENTY-THREE Matthew 18:20 (KJV) 20 For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. This verse is a very special breath from God for me.
It means that it's good to have company. Jesus likes a good, "get-together," with His children.
He likes it when the get-together is about Him! He deserves to be the center of attraction and, in fact, He probably
won't stay unless He is the center of attraction! Although Jesus said these words in a specific application
concerning church discipline, I believe it is one of the principles that you and I can count on in every situation in
our lives! Jesus said these words in Matthew 18:20 at the end of a discourse where He was explaining what we are supposed to do if another believer
sins against us. And, no, the first thing we should do is not to run and tell everybody about it (even if it is masked
in the form of a, "prayer request.") The first step is to go to the one who has offended us by doing
something which is against the Lord's Word that has affected us, personally. Matthew 18:15 (KJV) 15 Moreover if thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy
brother. As much as we might like it if we could call fire down from Heaven on this offender,
God's purpose is not punishment, but healing and reconciliation. After all, if we are soldiers of God and
we wound and kill each other, we're not going to be much of an army! Some of us are more stubborn than others
and more prideful so Jesus has given us the second step in this process. We're supposed to take some witnesses.
Matthew 18:16 (KJV) 16 But if he will not hear thee,
then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. I
dare say, these two steps are not really followed in many instances within our churches. At least I have not seen
it happen and I have been in a variety of denominations and non-denominations. Well, some people tend to be pretty
tough nuts to crack. This third instruction from Jesus is the next step. Matthew 18:17 (KJV) 17 And
if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as
an heathen man and a publican. All of these steps are Jesus offering the way and the opportunity to
bring about reconciliation. But, there may be a few offenders who will not hear anyone, including the church.
In that case, Jesus says, "let him be like a heathen or a publican to you." A heathen is a Gentile
and a publican is a tax collector. Both of these types of people were not liked by the Jews (to put it mildly).
However, that puts them right back out there in the field of sinners who need a Savior. So. maybe we should not
be too quick to write them off before trying to bring them to the full knowledge of Jesus and His power to change even
the hardest heart. Then Jesus begins to speak about things that we bind on earth and how they will be bound in heaven
and things that we loose on earth being loosed in heaven. The terms binding and loosing, here, have to do with
things like loosing someone from sin by reminding that person of the scriptures indicating the need to turn from sin and
be saved. Also things like binding a demon from someone who has been indwelt. But, here again, this verse is
a principle of God and could be used in many applications in life. I have gone in a room in my home, where I
knew that someone had invited demonic activity and bound it in the Name of Jesus. However, as we see here,
Jesus is probably talking about two people (or more) being in agreement on the binding because He proceeds to talk
about agreement. Matthew 18:19 (KJV) 19 Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is
in heaven. Don't you think that Jesus is really trying to get us to understand a principle here.
He says, "Again I'm telling you...." Usually, when He repeats something, He is wanting to let us know
that it's important that we hear what He is saying. He certainly enjoys it when His children get together and focus
on His power to change things! He's so straightforward about what will happen. If even two of us will
agree and ask anything here on earth, our Father is going to answer! It's my humble theory that we don't see more of
that happening (and powerful stuff) for two reasons. One is that, even two of us, have trouble totally agreeing
on anything! Two, is that our faith is too small. Maybe that's from lack of exercise on our part. I sure
don't want "flabby faith," do you? There are any number of things that we, as believers, could agree
on, pair up, and have faith to believe, inviting Jesus to be the center of our point of agreement. This world
is in trouble at the moment but it only takes pairs of believers, in unity, using every bit of the measure of faith God
has given them, to bring about radical changes! Finally, at the end of this discourse, Jesus says these words.
Soothing words. Strengthening words. Encouraging Words. Sobering words. Compassionate Words.
Words of assurance! Matthew 18:20 (NLT) 20
For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Another
translation says, "in the midst." Just for the moment, let's forget the idea that
we're going to as the Lord for something. Let's concentrate on the fact that, when just two or three of us
who follow Jesus get together, He promises to be in the midst of us. His presence is with us! What could be more
magnificent? What could be more humbling? What could be more life-giving than to have the Giver of life right
in the midst of us! There's something to be said for all the mega-churches that are springing up. God will use
anything to get His Word to everyone. However, there's a lot more to be said when we find that right there in the
middle of two or three of us, Jesus has taken time to sit down and have a conversation with us! That means that, if
you are married to a believer, you qualify to have Jesus in the midst of your conversations and your times of petition!
It could be you, your spouse, and your child. There are many combinations but the key is that each one has to be a
believer and be in agreement within the group. I really like going to church and singing praises with a giant roomful
of people. I love watching the variety of people when they step forth to take communion. I feel very close to
Heaven knowing that each of these varied races, genders, and ages are symbolically stepping right up to the feet of Jesus.
However, I also love to know His presence in the midst of just two or three people whose focus is totally on Him with no
inhibitions or agendas of their own. Only to enjoy the presence of His company. Of course, He never comes to
a conversation without bringing presents. The answers to our prayers, the guidance we need, His comfort, His encouragement,
and of course, His love. All of those presents are just right for us and in accord with His will; but His presence
far outweighs any other gift He might give us. The gift of His presence is the greatest present you or I will ever
receive! Is He perhaps breathing over us this morning that He would love to be invited into the center of groups of
two or three of us who are seeking Him with all of our heart and desiring to bring petitions that only He can grant, according
to His will? If we do this, the very first thing that will be changed is our own heart. You can't be in His presence
without coming away a changed person. The next thing that will happen is that people and circumstances around us will
begin to change because we have been in agreement with our prayers in a personal audience with Jesus! Is anything holding
us back? If it is, it is not from God. It's the Devil who does not want us to do this because He knows God's
promises to us concerning the agreement of two or three here on earth and He surely doesn't want us to see those promises
manifest themselves in our lives! He's out to try to steal them from us! So, I encourage and challenge
myself, as well as you, to pair up and even add a third. Get together with the Lord in one accord. Enjoy His presence,
being so close to Him that you can hear Him breath! Then, obey anything He says and look for big changes in yourself
and in this world! Can we do it? Yes, we can, through Christ who strengthens us! MORNING MANNA - MAY 8, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S, FROM GOD - PART TWENTY-TWO Psalms 118:24 (NLT) Well, are
you all ready to do a little dance this morning? This is a very special day! I know it's maybe not your
birthday or your anniversary and it's not a national holiday. It's today. It's a gift to us! The Lord
didn't have to open our eyes this morning and wake us up. But He did. He woke us up to a day that
we have never seen before! Yes, a very special day. His mercies are new today. For those of us who might
feel a twinge of guilt because we didn't do as well as we wanted to yesterday or the day before, this day provides brand
new mercies. Lamentations 3:22-23 (AMP) 22 It is because of the Lord’s
mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. 23
They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. We
serve a God that offers second, third, and sometimes many more chances to get things right between us and Him.
Every morning His mercies are brand new. We get to start off with a fresh slate. For me that is something to
rejoice about because, you see, I tend to use up almost all of the mercies God gives me each day! Each day is
a day to remember to, as a good friend used to always say to us, "Have an Ephesians 3:20 day. In case you're not familiar with Ephesians 3:20, here it is. Ephesians 3:20 (KJV) 20 Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in
us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen. This is a new day to remind ourselves that God is able to do so much more
than we can ask or even think about because of His power that works in us. He does wonders among us too and the
result is that we rejoice and give Him glory! As soon as we wake up in the morning, we should listen for God, as He breathes over us, "I made this new day
is just for you. It is a canvas on which you can paint me your best picture of your attitude, your actions,
and your love." What are we supposed to do with all of the new days God gives us? Rejoice and be
glad in them, of course! Now, it's quite possible that you and I have had some problems in the past that distracted
us from making it our purpose to rejoice in each new day as we open our eyes in the morning. Hardship, abuse,
grief, financial stress, illness, marital troubles, children gone astray or even lost, and a number of things can take our
mind off of the fact that every day is a new day in which we have the opportunity to do the very best thing; the thing that
will bring glory to our Savior. Rejoice and be glad. Even if we have cast all of our cares on the Lord the
day before, knowing that He loves us and will take care of them, we may have to live in them until, in His perfect timing,
He removes them. For instance, we might have to go through an illness with a souse, child or parent that seems to drag on
and on. We may have actually recently gone through the Homegoing of a loved one. Financial times may take longer
to straighten out than we want them to. It might seem like forever before that wayward child turns to the Lord.
But, this is the day that the Lord has made, complete with new mercies and the promise that, if
we are following Him, He's going to do a new thing in our lives. Jeremiah 29:11-14 (KJV) 11 For I know the thoughts that
I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14
And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from
all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the
place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Some of those situations
that seem to drag on from day to day may be a result of our own poor choices. A result of not walking in complete
and immediate obedience to the Lord. The Lord doesn't punish us as much as He just lets us make our own choices and,
if they are not based on His Word and they do not follow His dictates, we will not do very well. In fact we will end
up making a mess! Someone who was very close to me used to say that God would answer our prayers by saying, "yes,"
"no," or, "if you insist." We never want to be found in that, "if you insist," category.
I've been there and done that. The results were very much less than favorable and my joy and peace seemed to disappear!
God will let us go our own way but He doesn't necessarily pour out blessings as we go. Whether something unexpected
and beyond our control has come into our lives or whether we have brought troubles on ourselves by "insisting,"
instead of waiting for and following God to put His approval upon what we want, this day is a new day. It can be a
day to re-commit our lives to doing things His way. To digging into His Word and asking and receiving revelation from His
Spirit. It can be a day to make a decision to stop living with someone to whom we are not married. Or, a decision
to fellowship more with believers. It might be a decision to love and serve our spouse more. It could be a decision
to be a better and more attentive parent. It could even be a decision not to get the abortion we were considering.
Of course, the greatest decision we could make on this new day with its new mercies is to receive Jesus as our Lord and
Savior if we have not already done so. To agree with Him that we are sinners but to also agree that He has made a way
for our sins to become white as snow and as though they never existed! Whether good things are going on in our lives
or whether challenging things are nagging at us, the very first thing we should do this morning is a little dance (if
you can't really dance, dance in your heart). The word translated, "rejoice," means "to spin round
(under the influence of any violent emotion). It means to be glad and be joyful. Spinning around under the influence
of a violent emotion is not a quiet or passive thing. This morning, whatever it is that you feel comfortable doing
to express your rejoicing in a conspicuous way, do it. As Psalm 118:24 says, "We will rejoice and be glad in it." Being glad means to brighten up. The
whole verse, Psalm 118:24, indicates that we need to express joy and brightness in a, perhaps spontaneous, and always outwardly
expressive way. Vine's Dictionary says the following about the Hebrew Word for, "glad": MORNING MANNA - MAY 7, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART TWENTY-ONE Matthew 7:7 (KJV) My sister and I became very aware of the importance of, "the
knock, as we realized that Jesus knocks and He asks us to knock." It is written in Revelation 3:20 (KJV): 20 Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me. In this verse, Jesus is really showing us how humble He is. He's knocking
at our heart's door. He's powerful enough to just kick the door in. His authority is such that He could
demand that we let Him in and that we cater to His every wish. But, He doesn't appear to be doing that. He stands
at the door and knocks, waiting to see if we're going to open the door. In the paintings depicting Jesus standing at
the door, it is noticeable that there is not a door knob on the outside. The door knob is on the inside and He
gives us the choice to open the door or not. I do confess that I do not always answer my door these days.
Many times it is a sales person and, besides that, there are people that masquerade as sales people who do not have
our best interests at heart. However, Jesus stands at our heart's door and knocks. The promise is that, if we
will open the door, He will come in and we will eat together. In the time in which Jesus lived, it was not
customary to eat with anyone unless you were making some kind of bond. Imagine that, the Creator of the Word comes
to the door of the center of our being and knocks. He then waits to see if we are going to open the door,
let Him in and share a meal with Him. That knock is so very important and, to turn Him away is our choice, but
a very poor choice! An old song goes, "The Savior is waiting to enter your heard. Why won't you let Him
come in?" Then, there is another, "knock." This
one is in Matthew 7:7 (KJV) Jesus tells us to knock. This is a verse that invites us to prayer.
I just read that the letters of the words, "ask," "seek," and "knock," actually spell,
"ask." When we have heard the knock of Jesus on our heart's door and let Him in, we can and should go
to the Father to ask, seek, and knock. We can ask for whatever our needs are and we can even ask for our wants, so
long as we are willing to accept God's answer. In all of our asking, we have to remember that we are the children
and He is the Father. My parents loved me very much but when I asked for a car to go to kindergarten, of course, the
answer was, "No!" My timing was all wrong. Later on, when I graduated from high school, they did give
me a car. Our Father knows what we have need of before we even ask Him for anything, nevertheless, we're encouraged
to ask and keep on asking. There are lots of scriptures where we are told that if we ask believing, we will have
an answer. Then, we're supposed to seek and keep on seeking. God says that we should seek Him with all of our
hearts and, if and when we do, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV) 13 And ye shall seek me, and find
me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. If we lost a one hundred dollar bill in the house somewhere,
how long would we spend looking for or, "seeking," it? I would venture that most of us would search
and search for a long, long time, if it took that. I would also think that, if we didn't find it and had to go on with
our everyday lives, that thing would constantly be in the back of our minds. We would mull over and over again where
we might have laid it down, retracing our steps time after time from the last time we had it. I wonder if that's the
way we are with seeking God. It's a question to ponder in our own individual lives. Is God breathing over you
this morning, "Won't you seek me and keep on seeking me?" If we answer in the affirmative, we have the promise
that we will find Him! We have been asked to ask and keep
asking. We have been asked to seek and keep seeking and we have be asked to knock and keep on knocking. We have
seen how Jesus stands at our heart's door to knock, waiting for our response and our willingness to open the door and let
Him come in and eat with us, creating a personal, one-on-one bond with Him. In fact, Jesus may have come to our
door time after time knocking and knocking again. But, I am also thinking of another time when knocking is involved.
This is how that incidence is written in the scriptures for us: Luke 13:22-27 (NLT) 22 Jesus went through the towns
and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone
asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He replied, 24 “Work
hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25
When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and
pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our
streets.’ 27 And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know
you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’ Right about now, I'm thinking
of that knock on our heart's door which is so important. We have to open the door if we want to really get to know
Jesus. Notice that those who knocked after the Master locked the door claimed that they heard Him teach in
their streets and that they ate and drank with Him. As one song says, "They heard, but could they really understand?
They could not." They may have drank and eaten in near proximity to Him but they had not invited Him in to
eat with them. They had no personal, intimate relationship with Him. Sadly, He will say, "I don't know you
or where you came from." Then again, he will say, "Depart from me you doers of evil." Many
will try to enter God's Kingdom and fail. They will try to enter in all sorts of ways but The Way, which is Jesus.
Jesus said we need to work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom. Unfortunately, many will try, but
fail because they are not doing it God's way. There are many theories and religions out there claiming to have
a way to reach Heaven and to know God but, unless they are based on knowing and going through Jesus, they are not on
that narrow Way and they will not be able to get through the narrow Door. So, what might we do today in a practical
sense? We should ask and keep asking, not for our own desires but to know God more and more and to have our hearts
desires come into unity with His desires. We should seek and keep on seeking, not seeking what we want in this natural
world, but seeking the Father, knowing that He has promised that if we seek with all of our hearts, we will find
Him. Lastly, we should knock and keep on knocking, remembering first, to answer the knock of Jesus on our own heart's
door. Letting him in and having a good meal with Him, listening to Him and learning about Who He really is.
That is the only way that we can be led to knock on the right doors in life that will open up to God's will for us
and that is the only way that we will avoid finding ourselves in the line outside the closed door of the Kingdom of
God being sent away by the Master! This morning, Jesus is breathing over you and me, I'm right here at your door.
I would so like to come in and spend some time with you over a good meal. I'll even provide the best meal you
ever had. I am the Bread of Life. I am the Living Water. May I come in?" What will our
answer be? He may have knocked before and you turned Him away but, He loves everyone so much that it is possible that
He will knock again and again. Just how many times we do not know. Since we don't know, why not just open the
door today and invite Him in? MORNING MANNA - MAY 6, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE BREATH'S FROM GOD - PART TWENTY John 8:32 (KJV) Just before Jesus was crucified, in the final decision making process, Pilate spoke with Jesus asking Him
if He was a king. John 18:37 (KJV) 37 Pilate therefore said unto him,
Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. To
me, this is so interesting. Jesus is bearing witness to Himself when He says, "I should bear witness unto the
truth." He had already declared Himself to be the truth earlier in His ministry. John 14:6 (KJV) 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Usually if witnesses were called,
there had to be two or three. Here is Jesus bearing witness to Himself, by Himself. Well, even though it looks
like He is by Himself, He is not by Himself. Only two witnesses were needed to prove something in those times
and the only two, who were really qualified, bore witness to the same thing. Both God, the Father, and
Jesus agreed that Jesus is the truth! John 8:17-18 (KJV) 17 It is also written in your law,
that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and
the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. We just read in John 8:37 that everyone that is of the truth would hear the voice of Truth. Do you hear that voice this
morning? Is the voice of Jesus, who is the Truth, speaking to you? If He is, you are being set free! Pilate
was looking straight at Jesus when he said, John 18:38 (NLT) 38 “What is truth?”
Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.
Maybe Pilate saw a glimpse of the Truth but his eyes were blinded by the need to be politically correct. If you see
the Truth, you can't ignore it. At least Pilate did not try to muster up something criminal with which to charge Jesus.
He just, "passed the buck," as they say. Today, we can learn from this that it is dangerous to pass the
buck. We need to see the Truth, hear the Truth, and make a decision to follow the Truth if we are to be set free. You may be like those Jewish people who didn't even know they were in bondage. They were trying to
ride on the coat tales of Abraham. John 8:33 (KJV) 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's
seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Unfortunately, as
time went by, the Jewish people sort of made it a tradition to be, "Abraham's children." They wanted to
have his inheritance but they forgot to do what Abraham did. They were not like the one they claimed as their father.
John 8:39 (KJV) 39 They answered and said unto
him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Instead
of being like Abraham, they went their own way, made up their own rules and lived by ritual and tradition. In other
words, they missed the mark. They habitually sinned, maybe even without knowing they were doing it. They had
lost contact with God personally and they were living by their own rules and regulations which, by the way, were very burdensome.
We can't just get into Heaven because our parents went there. We cannot ride on the coat tails of those who have
gone before us. We have to make a personal decision to hear the Truth and follow Him. There are many people today
who do not know they are in the bondage of sin. They just claim the name without really ever getting into the game.
Perhaps they go by what's over the door on their church building instead of Who should be residing in their hearts. We
are probably all familiar with the poor excuses the Jewish people gave for not needing to be set free even though they were
bound by sin. John 8:33 (KJV) 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's
seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? They simply were
ignorant to the fact that they were the servants of sin but, Jesus, being simple and straightforward straightened them out.
John 8:34-35 34 Jesus
answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. We are all
servants of sin until we receive the Truth as our Savior. These Jewish people were not about to listen to the Truth
even though they were staring Him in the face! Nevertheless, Jesus offered freedom if they would just hear Him
and repent. John 8:36 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free,
ye shall be free indeed. The people were suffering from mistaken identity. They said God was
their father but their lives showed that they were children of the Devil. John 8:41-45 (NLT) 41 No, you are imitating your real
father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to
you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t you understand
what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you
are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning.
He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he
is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally
don’t believe me! It is very sad that people can be in bondage to sin and not realize that
they need to be saved. Why is that? Jesus said we don't hear Him. The Voice of Truth is always breathing
His Word over us, especially if we read the Bible, go to church, listen to Christian music, etc. Like the Jews in
Jesus time, we can claim His Name without really having the intimate relationship He wants us to have with Him. It's
in that intimate relationship where Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, reveals to us His Word. He is the Truth and He
is the Word. He reveals Himself when we open our heart's door and let Him in. The more of Him that we know, the
more obedient we will be because we are really listening to Him and following Him. Some people do not want to
know Him because they are afraid they will have to give up things that they want to keep. He may ask us to do that
but, as I heard today, "Whenever Jesus says, 'no,' to us, He's protecting us." I can witness to that.
He said, "no,"' to me about a certain thing I wanted this week because the timing was not right. As I returned
the item to the store, I realized that He was protecting me from debt that I didn't need. I experienced a great moment
of freedom when that thing was out of my hands and back in the store! He really does set His real children free!
I also heard today that, whatever we cling tightly to in disobedience, will turn to ashes. I truly believe that.
Do you know Jesus today, really intimately? Do you know the One who is The Truth? The Truth you know is
the Truth that will set you free from going your own way and heading for destruction. If the Truth sets
you free, you will be free indeed! It's a wonderful plan and God wants all of us to receive and walk in it!
Walking through life in our own way will bring bondage and, eventually, destruction. Walking with and in the Truth
will bring freedom along with, love, joy, peace and a myriad of other great things for which we will
constantly be praising God! MORNING MANNA - MAY 5, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART NINETEEN James 4:7 (NIV) Yesterday, I was out shopping.
I saw a kitchen appliance at a very good price. Our finances are not such that I should be buying a thing like that, but
it was very good! The price was lower than where I could get it anywhere else! I watched the demonstrator
and tasted the quality whole food mixtures he made, just knowing that this would be great for my husband and I, since we
are trying to have a more healthy lifestyle and stick to eating things that will allow our bodies to function better.
After all, this particular product is only sold at such a price every once in a while when they bring the demonstrator
into the store. I tasted all the wonderful ways you could make spinach, cabbage and carrots taste like key lime
pie and put veggies in your cappuccino without tasting them. I know it would be great to eat that way.
After all, our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, right? And, God wants us to eat properly in order to maintain
them. However, God also does not want us to be a servant to anyone. Especially a lender.
Proverbs 22:7 (KJV) 7 The rich ruleth over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender. Besides that, my husband was not with me and I knew
I should ask if I could have this kitchen marvel before I bought it. With all that in mind, I whipped out my credit
card and bought the thing. I even bought some veggies with which to start our new diet. I was going to bring
it home and put it in the cupboard without telling my husband. Then, I planned to serve him such wonderful food that
he wouldn't mind that I had bought it! There are so many principles that come into play in our everyday lives, aren't
there? In essence, I had tried to do a good thing in a bad way. I decided to wait until after my husband
saw the great things he could have to tell him I had bought it. Proverbs 20:17 (KJV) 17 Bread of deceit is sweet to
a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Now, you have to picture my day. All day long, the Devil had been working, trying to bring me down.
When my husband went out to start the car, it would not come out of park. He was needing to make a very long drive
yesterday afternoon. He had loaded his car and couldn't get it out of the garage. He had to get out and transfer
all of his things into my car, leaving me to deal with the car that was stuck in, "park." I called triple
A and they sent a tow-truck with a driver that was customer-focused, to say the least. He knew exactly what was wrong
with it; the sensor had gone out. He pulled everything apart and manually got it out of park so I could drive it to
the mechanic. He even showed me how to work it in case of emergency! You need to remember that this was not
how I had planned my day. I wasn't exactly, "made up," to face the world yet
but drove to the mechanic asking if they could please try to get the car done by lunch time. They did! And,
the repair was covered by the extended warranty! God was so much at work in the timing of everything. From there
on out, God's timing was perfect with several things just meshing into place so well that neither my husband nor I could
fail to notice that God was on our side. He was doing things and timing things that were unbelievable, except
that, with Him, all things really are possible! I was so excited! I had submitted to Him early in the morning
and, even though my day was not as I planned, He was making everything work perfectly! Proverbs 16:9 (AMP) 9 A man’s mind plans his
way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. Oh my goodness, it is so wonderful when we submit
ourselves to God. He makes our steps sure and pours blessing into our lives! There's just one little problem with all of this. The enemy does not want us to submit ourselves
to God. That's why James wrote two God-breathed parts to James 4:7. I had started out the day so well. I did, "part one." I was
truly submitted to God, enjoying all the fruit of His blessing. Then it came time to do, "part two."
Well, God's Word says that we should confess our sins one to another. James 5:16 (AMP) 16 Confess to one another therefore your faults
(your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored
[to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power
available [dynamic in its working]. Well, here goes! I'm confessing to you all that I should
not have put that, "can't do without it," item on my credit card. I'm confessing that I was deceitful and
did not, "practice what I preach," or rightly divide the Word of God in my thinking when I bought it. I'm
also confessing that I can't wait to get it back to the store this morning and get a refund on my credit card!
Do I still want it? Yes!!!! I really want it! Is it a good thing? It most certainly is. Was
it a really good deal? It was such a good deal that I would have thought that God put it there just for me.
However, as I often say, you can't do a right thing in a wrong way. I had been so victorious all day being
submitted to God that the enemy felt obliged to get me to fall. He gave me a suggestion I just couldn't resist.
Oh dear, that was supposed to be the second part of this verse that I have quoted so often! I failed to resist
the devil! Even though God has been so good to speak to me about what to write in each Morning Manna, guess what happened?
God didn't hit me over the head for buying the thing. He just got very silent. I had nothing to write.
Not only that, I was finding myself double-minded. James 1:8 (KJV) 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
I kept trying to figure out a way I could rationalize what I was doing and then God spoke again!
Romans 14:23 (KJV) 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because
he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. I did not buy that item in faith (except
with the faith that it was a good product). I was not operating in faith when I charged it. I was operating
by my own agenda. There were some principles in God's Word that I could have used to justify buying it but there
were more principles that proved the opposite. This was not God's timing. This was not God's way.
I want that miracle appliance, but not at the expense of disappointing the Lord and finding that I can't hear Him
speak! When I started to write, I was stuck in, "park," just as the car had been yesterday morning.
My, "sensor," was broken. God has shown me how to fix it. Now, I feel better. God has spoken
again! He has breathed over me in a way I can hear and feel because I am submitting myself to Him and
resisting the devil. Is His breath over you this morning that you need to do both? We must have balance.
We must submit ourselves to God but we must also always be aware that we need to resist the Devil! You can't really
do one without the other! MORNING MANNA - MAY 4, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART EIGHTEEN 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) Okay, would you agree that
there are some days that just feel heavy with care? Not just one care. Lots of cares! Cares coming from
everywhere! I'm sure every one of you have multiple cares in your life. You just keep going anyway, but there
comes that one day when it's just hard to keep going. As my dad used to say, "Keep a stiff upper lip."
And, "Keep your powder dry." You know, for much of my life, I tried to do just that. I tried to
keep a stiff upper lip and keep my powder dry. I tried hard but it didn't work for me. If you are trying
those tactics, let me know how it's working out for you. I did find a better, "Way," but there are days I
need a reminder that I don't need to carry care around with me. No matter what the doctor says. No matter what
the checkbook looks like. No matter whether my children are behaving as I want them to or not. No matter what! The
Apostle, Peter, writes to us, as it was breathed out to him from God. He doesn't make a suggestion. He
speaks more in a commanding way. He doesn't say to cast some of your care on Jesus. He says to cast
it all on Him! Oh my! That can be hard for those of us who have gotten used to worrying and find that
we are totally without anything to do if we don't have something to worry about. Someone very close to me actually
admitted that he wasn't happy unless he had something to worry about. Do you think that is a good attitude? I
think not. Despite the fact that we should not worry and, to have the attitude that we need to worry is a wrong
attitude, it can be hard to let go. Why do you suppose it is difficult to
stop carrying care? Speaking for myself (and yesterday I was really going through a period of trying to cast
all my cares on Jesus), I think it is a matter of trust. We have been taught to try to find solutions and solve problems.
We can do that but only when we do it in the strength and wisdom of the Lord. We don't have all the answers.
He does. Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) 3 Call unto me, and I will answer
thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. You and I don't know everything; but God
does. And, we are not Him! What do we have to do in order to cast our cares on the Lord? We have to let
go of them. Trust Him with them. Believe that His plans for us are good, whether our circumstances look good
or not. Whether they feel good or not. In our minds, we know that, through Jesus, all things are possible and
nothing will be impossible for us if we believe! When we really do cast all of our cares on Him, He sets us free to
go about doing whatever it is He called us to do without the distraction of worry! I will admit that I do have days
when it's difficult to cast all my cares on Him. When it's difficult to allow Him to set me free from every distraction
that would keep me from focusing on Him and doing His will. Do you know what a care is? According to Strong's
Dictionary it is something that divides the mind. Distractions, anxieties, burdens and worries. I read that
it means to be anxious, beforehand, about life. We only have each moment and, if we're sitting here reading this,
we are all right! Not only are we all right, we are blessed. God has us covered for this moment and for the
future. He has all our solutions in place. He knows what we care about and have need of before we even ask; but
that shouldn't keep us from asking! God has invited us to ask for what we need and, if we are asking in His will and
walking in obedience to His Word, there's nothing He will not give us in His good timing. 1 John 3:22 (KJV) 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. I
am writing this in the hope that it will encourage you if you find yourself loaded down with care and distracted from enjoying
the presence of God in your life at the present! I'm also writing as a reminder to myself that I need to cast every
care onto Him. This may sound like an awful thing to do
to someone. And, it would be if we were casting our cares on anyone but Jesus! He's the only one big enough
to carry all your cares and mine too. In fact, every care that anyone is willing to cast on Him! Instead of sometimes
burdening others with our cares or trying to figure out and fix everything ourselves, we are told to cast them all
on Jesus. You and I probably have great friends that are really willing to take on our cares as their own
and it's good that we help share one another's burdens. Galatians 6:2 (KJV) 2 Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ. I'm tending toward the thought, though, that we share one another's
burdens and cast them on the Lord too so that they don't become a distraction to us because we are trying to solve everyone
else's problems. There's the trust thing again. Even between friends, Jesus is the only friend that can truly take
our cares. Friends and family care for us but human care sometimes fails for a variety of reasons. We are told
to cast all of our cares on Jesus because He cares for us. What Peter is telling us is that what matters to us
really matters to Jesus. He will sort it all out for us. Jesus died to save us and give us abundant and
eternal life and He's also concerned about our life here on earth. He doesn't want us to waste away our days and energy
juggling the cares of this world. He even said that the cares of this world can choke out His Word, making it unfruitful
in our lives! (Mark 4:19) No wonder it is important that we fully trust Him and throw every single care we have
upon Him! Jesus is the One who said that He would like us to bear lots of fruit. John 15:8 (KJV) 8 Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. In this old and decadent world, we will have troubles
and the enemy will tempt us to carry those cares by ourselves. However, you and I have a "care carrier,"
Whose will it is that we should go free. Whose will it is that His Word would work in and through us bearing much fruit
without the distraction of worldly care. I have always liked the worship song that goes like this: "I cast all
my cares upon You. I lay all of my burdens down at your feet. And anytime I don't know just what to do, I will
cast all my cares upon You." If this morning finds you burdened about anything, and you know that little worship
tune, just start singing it to Jesus as you let go of every care and throw it on Him. And, another thing! After
you have thrown it on Him, leave it on Him! We are also tempted by the enemy to cast our cares
on Jesus and then reel them back in - are we not? We've got to learn to just cast and trust! Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths. Let me tell myself and tell you something. The paths He leads us along
are carefree. He is carrying the baggage for us! That's how much He cares for you and me! MORNING MANNA - MAY 3, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S, FROM GOD - PART SEVENTEEN Matthew 11:28 (KJV) 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Today's Morning Manna is a "bonus edition." It will be three of my favorite "breath's,"
from God in one. I have often been reminded by the Holy Spirit of Matthew 11:28 when things just seem to hard to handle. The burdens feel like they are more than I can take. And, to be
truthful, they are! I can do nothing without Christ and neither can you! John 15:5 (KJV) 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If
you're like me, you might go merrily along in life, maybe forgetting that, without Him, you can't do a thing. That
is, until a situation that is too much for you comes on the scene. When I have more to do than I can do and when
I am laboring hard without seeing much success, the Spirit reminds me of what Jesus said. Even though I can do nothing
without Him, He said that I could do all the things He has called me to do because He will give me strength!
Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13 I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me. Still, sometimes I find myself burdened, feeling overworked and weary.
Can anyone relate? It is then that I need to remember that I have a special invitation. It is for anyone who
will accept it. You don't have to be dressed up or be at your best. The invitation is for all who have worked very
hard, are fatigued, and find themselves weary. Jesus says, "Come to Me." The words here in the
King James Version translated, "heavy laden," mean "overburdened." And, if you really want
something to think about, it really means this: "to overburden with ceremony (or spiritual
anxiety)" - Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. It's true, isn't it, that we can
get so caught up with religious ritual that we become spiritually anxious? All Jesus wants us to do is to come
to Him just as we are and lay all that anxiety down in exchange for rest in His presence. What He is offering is refreshing,
repose, and the opportunity to remain with Him where this will be our natural (or supernatural, if you will) state of being. Sounds
appealing, no? Jesus goes on to explain this invitation further
and it only gets better! Matthew 11:29 (KJV) 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. You see, Jesus isn't just
inviting us to come to Him and find rest or refreshment. That, in itself, would be good enough. But, He is inviting
us to take His yoke on us. When oxen were teamed together, there was a, "head ox." He took the heaviest
of the burden that was being carried. So it is with Jesus. He didn't say that we would never be troubled.
He said we could get under His yoke and that He would carry the heaviest part of the burden! Don't you feel lighter
already? He also is inviting us to learn of Him. To have an intimate relationship with Him where He will share
His plans and His heart with us. Imagine that! The Son of God is willing to share His secret stuff with
little old us! Are you feeling anxious this morning? Are your emotions getting the best of you? Jesus said
that, when we get under His yoke and converse with Him, we would find that He is meek and lowly of heart. If
you think that, just because He is meek and lowly of heart, He is weak, you're thinking in the wrong direction. Of
course, He holds all the power in the Heavens and earth but He keeps that power under control until He knows sees that one
of us is in need. He doesn't make a show of His power in arrogance even though He is perfectly entitled to do so.
He just uses it at the appropriate time and in the appropriate measure! He is gentle with us. His heart is lowly
when it comes to us. He doesn't, "lord it over us," even though He IS LORD! He offers us a gracious
invitation to come as we are and get to know Him, all the while offering us refreshment to our souls (our emotions,
mental state, and will). He gently offers but leaves the choice to us. Now, this world seems to place heavier and heavier burdens upon us. And, here's where it is
necessary to renew our minds and stop being conformed to the world's ways. Instead we need to be transformed by the
renewing of our minds. Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2 And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God. Not only does the world call us to do more and more but religious tradition and ritual can leave us
overburdened and worn out. In fact, there are some churches and ministries who operate as a business corporation, with
people trying to climb the corporate ladder instead of operating as the family of God where we find that the ground
is level at the foot of the cross. They have become conformed to the world and, as a result, people are burdened
and driven instead of cared for and led. That's what Jesus may have had in mind when He spoke of relieving us from
spiritual anxiety. He doesn't want us to be walking around worn out and frazzled. Why would anyone want to be
a Christian if that's the way they see us? They can be frazzled living in and for the world! So, Jesus
offers us Himself. His rest. His refreshment. And, yes, He offers to let us help carry His burden too but,
for me, the key word is, "help." I have at times had what some call, "The Messiah Complex," thinking
I had to do everything and be everything for everybody! Only He can do all of that. But, you and I can share
His yoke and carry the part He asks us to carry. What He guarantees is that the yoke He gives us to carry
will be light. It will not remove our joy. He knows how much each one of us can take and He won't give us any
more than that! The world will try to overburden us and, yes, even the organized church will (perhaps unknowingly)
put pressure on us that will bring us back to the place where we need to re-focus and hear the Spirit calling, "Come
to me and I will give you rest." We need to let Him prioritize our affairs for us once more and do what
He says instead of doing what everyone else says we should do! His yoke is easy and His burden is light!
I hope you are as refreshed by this as I have been writing it. He is breathing over us His rest, refreshment, and
renewal right now! His burden is light. I hope your soul is lighter and that you are breathing easier
because He is infusing you with His strength, letting you know that He is carrying the heaviest part of our burdens
on His strong shoulders! MORNING MANNA - MAY 2, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S, FROM GOD - PART SIXTEEN Acts 3:6 (KVJ) 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have
I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. When I was a child, I was exposed to many different churches. Although it was hard,
I am thankful for that time because it has allowed me to experience what different people believe and see how they interpret
the scriptures. The reason for this was that my father was a Catholic and my mother was a Protestant. They could
not agree on exactly what to do with me; so I went to the Catholic Church sometimes with my grandmother; was left at
a small community church sometimes, as a small child; attended Vacation Bible School at whatever churches happened to be
in the area we were currently living; and, was taken to the Lutheran Church pretty consistently by the parents of my
favorite little girl friend. Later in life, I would go to a non-denominational church with my future husband and his
family. However, this breath from God, Acts 3:6, was not breathed over me in a church of any kind! It was breathed over me on the living room floor! When I
was a very little girl, my mother used to get the family Bible off of the coffee table. It was big
and heavy. She would open it up on the floor and we would lay there and read from it. No teaching, just
reading the Word of God. God literally breathed this verse over me when I was a child and I heard Him! I do
believe that God has given me (as well as others) the gift that Peter and John had of healing. The difference between
me and Peter and John is that I have not always been willing to step forth in it like they did. I have seen glimpses
of it when I did step out though. I wonder if they had any apprehension about declaring to a man who was born,
without being able to walk, that Jesus of Nazareth had just flowed through them, bringing healing to him? Peter
and John were full of faith and willing to put their own reputation on the line in obedience to the Holy Spirit of Jesus
and to give this man something that no one else could give him. It was a divine appointment and each of the people
involved had a role to play. In Acts 3:1, it says that Peter and John were going together to the temple at about three o'clock in the afternoon. I notice
that they were not looking for anything or anyone. They were just doing what they always did and their focus was on
the Lord. As they went, a man with paralyzed feet and ankles was carried by others to sit at the temple
gate to beg for sustenance for himself. This man and the people who carried him were also just doing what they always
did. They carried him to the temple gate every day. This day was no different. (Acts 3:2) Do you think it is when we're just carrying out our daily activities that Jesus will make Himself known? I
do! The disabled man saw Peter and John coming toward the temple and, naturally, he did what he always did. He
begged something from them and he expected to receive something - money. But, these were no ordinary
men and apparently they didn't have a lot of money, at least not on them at the time. The man expected to
receive some money because that's what he had been doing for his whole life so he had just begun to expect that; and no
more than that. However, this day was different. This was a God-appointed day and time. Peter
and John heard the man's request but they were about to respond in a way that no other donors had done since the
man was born! Peter looked at the man with eyes of faith and pretty much demanded that the man look he and John in
the eye. How humiliating for such a one as this who already felt like he was the lowest of the low. But,
when he looked into their eyes, he saw eyes of faith. Perhaps he even saw the eyes of Jesus looking back at him!
Is that what people see in us? Still, the man looked at them expecting to get some money. (Acts 3:5) Now comes the exciting part! Peter and John were not prompted
to give the man money. They had something (more correctly, Someone) within them that money can't buy. Silver
and gold cannot buy healing. It cannot take a person, disabled from birth, and relieve that disability in an instant.
Only Jesus can do that! So, here it comes! It is a demand, from Peter, that the disabled man would probably
hear ringing in his ears until the day he died. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"
Peter did not just demand that the man rise up and walk. I'm sure the man was struggling with his own faith at this
point. No. Peter reached his hand down and helped the man up to his feet. As Peter extended his
hand of faith and helped to lift the disabled person up, the guy's feet and his ankle bones received strength!
Instantly. No medical doctor was involved. Just the Great Physician who operated expertly and successfully as
his assistants, Peter and John, did their part. Acts 3:7 (KJV) 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength. Don't you know there was some shouting going on there!?!
The man began to walk and even leap around. He didn't run off to the nearest bar or some other place
of entertainment. He went into the temple; praising God. And, you know what? This wasn't just for Peter
and John's benefit or even just for the disabled man's benefit. All the people around saw what had happened.
They knew who this man was and what his problem had been for his whole life. They could plainly see that
he didn't have a problem any more! Acts 3:9-10 (KJV) 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple:
and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Today could
be, because of the power of Jesus, a very different day than any other day for you and me. Besides that, we can
have many days where we see things that we've never seen before. We might be like the one with the problem expecting
the "same old, same old," as we do the same old thing every day. We might feel disabled in any number
of ways and unable to get ourselves out of our problem, constantly feeling the need to ask others for help.
On this particular day, we might have to receive help from Jesus in a way we never expected! Or, we might be like Peter
and John who were gifted with the healing power of Jesus. We might not have earthly wealth but we do have the gift
to bring healing, encouragement, hope, joy, or any such other things that those around us may need. Peter and John
had to step out in faith to give what Jesus had given them to give. Whether we are like the disabled man or whether
we are gifted with things that money can't buy, it's all because of Jesus. He is the one working in every situation
and, when we see Him at work, in us, through us and to us, we will praise Him! People will see that things
are different in our lives and in the lives of those we touch. They will believe in Jesus and join in the praise!
When we speak in the name and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, because we know Him intimately and hear His voice calling
us to speak, we and others will experience His extraordinary and supernatural presence and power! Healing
will flow spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Lives will be changed because He has been present in the
divine appointments that He orchestrates in our lives. MORNING MANNA - MAY 1, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S" FROM GOD - PART FIFTEEN Luke 1:45 (KJV) This morning I want to talk about a special, "breath," from God (not as if all
of His Word is not special, but this is one that has impacted me greatly). I have a nicely framed version of this verse
sitting in my bedroom for me to see every time I walk in there. It was given to me by a very dear and special friend.
A friend who has great faith and shares it with others, including me. It's good to have friends that will encourage
you in the Lord. When times are hard, it's not always easy to, as the song says, "Only Believe." But,
you and I are members of a Kingdom in which all the citizens are told to walk by faith, not by what they are looking at on
the outside. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) 7 (For we walk by faith, not by
sight:) A few days ago, I was pondering another favorite, "breath," from God and found
that it was Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was an example for me and for you. She told some servants at a wedding
to do what Jesus told them to do. Mary was wise in her directions and she demonstrated that she had faith in
the miracle-working power of God's Son (she just happened to be the vessel used to deliver Him to earth). Before Jesus
was born, an angel visited Mary, telling her that she would give birth to a son. Not just any son but the
Son of God! Luke 1:35 (KJV) 35 And
the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. At
the same time, the angel announced that Mary's relative, Elizabeth (who had long been barren and was now old) was also going
to have a baby. Luke 1:36-37 (KJV) 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth,
she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. Don't you love it! God
is going to get His purposes and plans taken care of whether it involves a young virgin having a baby or an elderly couple
having a baby. God is breathing to you and me this morning, "nothing is impossible with God." Nothing
is impossible with God. That's what His Word says and God never lies or makes a mistake. Numbers 23:19 (KJV) I could probably be
safe in saying that every one of us is going through something at this moment that is trying to shake our faith. That's
exactly what the enemy would try to do to keep God's perfect will from operating in our lives. The enemy is the one
that has come to steal from you, try to kill you, and destroy you and everything you have. Jesus has come to give
us abundant life. (John 10:10) Whatever it is, large or small, that we are dealing with in this world, we need to remember what the
angel said to Mary, "With God nothing is impossible." (That is another of my favorite "breath's,"
from God.) That means that your problems and my problems contain no impossibilities if we will do what Mary and Elizabeth
did and, "believe." If a young virgin girl can be impregnated by the Holy Spirit and deliver the Son of
God to earth, what is it that is impossible for you and me? If an elderly couple, way beyond child-bearing years
can, at the breath of God, have a son, what is it that you and I cannot do? Absolutely nothing will be impossible for
us if we will only believe. Matthew 17:20 (KJV) 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because
of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus mentioned to His disciples, who had listened to Him teach and seen His miracles, "you have unbelief."
Don't you think that Jesus is, still today, urging us on to believe for all the promises of God? Don't you think
that He is still breathing, "obedience," over us today? A willingness to obediently believe for the
impossible, while we continue to follow His instructions for righteous living? Jesus said this: "If
we have faith as small as a grain of mustard seed, we will be able to move mountains." He did not say, "how,"
except to believe. What mountains in your life have you been trying to remove in your own strength or by your
own strategies? When we just, "believe," His power working in and through our belief will do
the rest. It happened for Mary and it happened for Elizabeth. But, we have to do what they did. We must
believe that what God said is true and that He will perform it in our lives. Now, that being said, we can't just
go around blowing up mountains and pushing them into the sea at will. This kind of miracle-working power comes
only through fasting and prayer (Matthew 17:21) . When we fast and pray, our will is changed into God's will and our desires are His desires. There are some
mountains that God wants us to leave alone and some need to be moved out of the way according to His will (not ours).
As we fast, pray, and believe that all things are possible just as the Lord has told us in His Word, all things will be
possible for us because we will be busting up those mountains at the direction of God, Himself, and with the same power
that raised Jesus from the dead. Oh Lord, you have given us so much of Yourself! Jesus also said that if
we even have this little bit of faith (as small as a mustard seed), nothing will be impossible for us! Do you believe
that? Have you taken these breath's from God in so deeply that they are a part of you and your everyday life? Aligning
ourselves with the "Breather of Life," and His purposes, believing that everything He said is true, will open
up His power within us to live a victorious, mountain-moving, life so that we and others will see Jesus do the impossible
and He will certainly get the glory because we, and everyone around us, will know that what happened when we prayed,
fasted and believed was impossible! Except for the power of God flowing in and through us! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 30, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART FOURTEEN Mark 14:8 (KJV) 8 She hath done
what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. In this, "hurry-up, be-the-best, have-everything," world, do we sometimes, even unintentionally,
try to do things that God has not called us to do? For instance, it is not considered wise by many in this world to
be a stay-at-home mom, caring for and nurturing children. The women who are called of the Lord to do this are oftentimes
de-valued by those around them who are on the fast-track for some corporate position. Because these women may buy into
the devaluation from the world around them, they may decide to leave the calling the Lord has put on their life, go out
and compete in the workforce. As a result many women have found themselves, not only stressed out and burnt out, but
also divorced and with rebellious and wayward children. Because the women have tried to be, "everything,"
they have lost the most important things in their lives and the lives of others (especially their children) have suffered.
I'm not saying that some women are not called to work out in the work-a-day world. I'm just saying that, like the
woman who broke open her alabaster box and poured oil on the head of Jesus, we need to keep our focus on what God is telling
us to do through His Word and through our communication in prayer with Him. We are each created to do good works and
it is God who chose the works for each of us. When we follow in His plan, regardless of whether it goes against the
world or seems illogical at the time, we will have peace and a sense of fulfillment because we are doing what pleases Him.
We will be doing our part, or what we can, if you will, in His bigger plan. Ephesians 2:10 (KJV) 10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. It is obvious that this woman with the alabaster box
was moved by God to do what she did. It's also obvious that it was a totally illogical and dangerous thing for
her to do! We don't know the details of how she was able to have a box of expensive perfume. She could have
acquired it in some way other than what is acceptable for a woman to earn money. Nevertheless, it was something
she had saved. It was worth nearly a year's wages! It may have been the total savings for her life. Probably
being a single woman, it may have been something she was saving to meet her future needs. However, as God moved
upon her heart, she moved in obedience and broke that box open, pouring everything out on Jesus. I'm sure it made
no sense to her as she did this deed. She was just moved by the Spirit of God to do it and she did it with reckless
abandon. God told her what to do and she could do it, so she did. That doesn't mean that it was easy for her
to give up such a costly item. It just means that she walked in what God had called her to do in total worship
of Jesus. As the scripture now reveals to us (but this woman probably did not have any clue at the time), she
was doing it for a purpose. God's purpose. Mark 14:8 (NLT) 8 She has done what she could and
has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. Isn't it true, with us, that we don't see the purpose
for God asking us to do something until after we have done it? And, it is my opinion that we may not see the purpose
of some of the things God asks us to do while we are still on earth. There may be some really cool surprises in
Heaven when Jesus shows us the bigger purpose of some of the smaller actions we have obediently taken in our lives.
This woman did what she could as the Spirit breathed upon her and she listened and obeyed. What is God breathing on
you and me this morning? What things has He planned for us to do? And, if they sound outrageous and we
might have to take the risk of being humiliated, will we willingly obey anyway? The woman with the alabaster box did not just give up something very costly in a materialistic way.
She gave up what little reputation she might have had. She entered a room full of men! She didn't really belong
there according to the religious tradition of her day. So, she was not able to sneak in quietly, dump some oil on
the head of Jesus and slip out without being noticed. Everyone noticed. And, just like it is today, if we are
doing something out of the ordinary and totally against religious and societal, "rules," we will be criticized,
many times harshly. That's what happened to this woman. Mark 14:4-5 (KJV) 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves,
and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been
sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. She
was sharply criticized but, as the song, "Alabaster Box," says, "......still on she came through the
shame that blushed her face till at last she knelt before His feet. And, though she spoke no word, everything she said
was heard as she poured her love for the Master from her box of alabaster." When our love for the
Lord becomes so great, there will come times in our lives when we can do nothing but pour it out on Him. When
we come to places in our lives where we can do that, nothing should hold us back! Not criticism from our friends,
our family, religious tradition, or society! Although she was accused of wasting, nothing that is poured out on
Jesus in worship is wasted! He took notice of her and basically told the others to, "shut up." He honored
this woman because, she did what she could, as illogical as it seemed to her and to others. Not only
that, He still honors this woman! Mark 14:9 (KJV) 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Still
today, this woman is honored and a memorial of her has stood the test of time. She is mentioned in the scriptures
right along with the best of men and women! Jesus speaks well of her! Why? Because she did what she could.
If she would never have listened to the breath of God nudging her to act, her alabaster box would not have been broken
open and the fragrance that was inside would not have filled the room as it did, honoring Jesus. She would have kept
her treasure inside that little box but she would have lost her reward! Whatever it is that God has called you and
me to do, He has enabled us to do. We have the choice to do it or not. I want to hear God breathing over me
everyday through His Word and with practical every day revelation. I want to obey that thing that He is telling me
to do! I don't always do that and that is where waste comes in. Whatever He tells us to do, we need to do it.
We need to do what we can, lest we waste the great fragrance that He has put inside of us to shed on the world in His Name.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NLT) 15 Our lives are a Christ-like
fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are
perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.
But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? Who
is adequate for the task of spreading the Christ-like fragrance on this earth? We are, as we continue to do what
we can through Him who calls us and strengthens us! Is Jesus saying of you and me, "She (or he) did what she
(or he) could for Me?" MORNING MANNA - APRIL 29, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S" FROM GOD, PART THIRTEEN John 2:5 (KJV) Because I have a great many favorite, "breath's," from God, this could be quite a long series!
The truth is that, if I knew in full and had complete revelation of the scripture, I would have to write on every verse in
the Bible. They are all God-breathed and full of life! These past few days, the Lord has been breathing, "Whatever
He says for you to do, do it." Now, I will admit, right off the bat, that I'm not always obedient. And,
sometimes I go ahead and do what I want to do even though He has not told me to do it. But, I sure would like to be
conformed so much to His image that I would just take His orders and do them, leaving my own flawed agenda behind.
Our flesh cries out at doing things that seem illogical, according to the world's standards, doesn't it? That must
be why the Apostle, Paul, reminded us that we have to die to our fleshly desires and thoughts constantly!
Romans 8:12-13 (KJV) 12 Therefore, brethren, we are
debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. When
we live according to the desires of our flesh, the Lord says we will die. We may think we're really living but our
fleshly desires bring death instead of the life they promise. On the contrary, if we live through the power of the
Holy Spirit, we are constantly killing off deeds prompted by our body and our own minds. This will bring life now
and life forever! How do we do this? We might look back to the story of the wedding in Cana that Jesus
attended with His mother. She had it right on when she told the servants to do whatever He told them to do. That sounds pretty easy and straightforward. It definitely is
straightforward! The thing is that it is not always easy. Many times it goes against the grain of what this
world tells us. For example, ads on the TV and in magazines tell us to go ahead and buy or have whatever they are advertising
because, "we deserve it." While we are very special in the eyes of God and we do walk in covenant blessing
if we have received Jesus, He has told us the following. Matthew 6:31-33 (KJV) 31 Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For
after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall
be added unto you. While the media will tell us that, "we deserve it," God tells us that
He knows what we need. No need to listen to or read the hype on TV and in the magazines. Better
to listen to the Words of the Lord and read the Bible. Whether or not we deserve it (and we actually don't deserve
anything but Hell), our Father will meet our needs when we seek His Kingdom first. Of course, the world wants us to
seek it's money-grabbing little kingdoms first, but we know better because Jesus has told us what to do. Now all we
need to do is practice doing what He told us! It must have
been a challenge for the servants at the wedding. Mary told them to do what Jesus told them to do. First
of all, they were probably flustered because the wine ran out before the wedding party was over. That was poor
management on their part and could certainly have caused them to lose their positions since the master of the house would
be humiliated by such an event. If the servants even thought that Jesus would have an answer for them, they probably
were startled when He told them to get six stone water pots that were used for the Jewish ceremonial cleansing. These
water pots could hold twenty-five to thirty gallons a piece. That was strange enough but when He told the servants
to fill the water pots with water, they probably thought Jesus was a bit, "touched." Nevertheless,
they obeyed! They must have had great expectations, even against all logic, because they not only filled the pots,
they filled them to the brim! John 2:7 (KJV) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up
to the brim. At this point, they were probably looking for help wherever they could find it before
the master of the house found out about their "faux pas." Have you ever had a time when you were backed up
against a wall and didn't know how you were going to get out of some perplexing and humiliating situation? While you
were there, did you ask Jesus what to do? And, if He put something in your spirit, did you obey? Now,
Jesus getting more outrageous with His instructions! He was telling the servants to take some of the water out
of the pot and give it to the master of the house! John 2:8 (KJV) And he saith unto them, Draw
out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. They knew they
had put water in that plain stone pot. Why was Jesus asking them to take some of it back out and give
it to the one heading the wedding feast? Weren't they going to look ridiculous taking a cup of water to the master
instead of bringing wine for him to taste? Besides looking ridiculous, what might happen to them if a miracle
did not occur? They obeyed anyway. That's what we have to do when we receive instructions from our Master.
When Jesus breathes a Word to us, the miraculous will happen if we obey. When the governor of the feast tasted
the liquid that was given to him by the servants, he was shocked. He didn't know that the servants had put water
into those pots. All he knew is that this was the best wine he had ever tasted! Surprised, he spoke to
the bridegroom - John 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have
well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. Of course, the
bridegroom had no idea what the master of the feast was talking about but the servants knew. These obedient servants
were the first ones to see Jesus do a miracle! John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory;
and his disciples believed on him. Obedience to God's breathed Word will produce miracles!
This was the first miracle Jesus showed to us on earth but it would not be the last miracle. Today, if we have
received Him and we are obedient to His instructions, we will see many miracles because He's the same today as He was
then and He will always be the same! So, today, as we go about our daily business, let's meditate on Mary's words
to the servants at the wedding in Cana and on the fact that they did what Jesus said to do. Let's ask Jesus to
breathe His instructions to us and then obey them. Jesus still performs miracles when we obey His Word! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 28, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S, FROM GOD - PART TWELVE Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) Isaiah 40:31 has to be one of my all-time favorite breath's from God. It is a verse I have clung to for many
years and still cling to as age brings some challenges. I am encouraged to know that, when I don't know what else
to do, I can and should wait on the Lord. Even if it looks like nothing is happening in my life, I must wait on the
Lord. When it looks like I'm not even going to make it, I need to wait on the Lord and so do you! He is faithful
and He appreciates it when His children do not run ahead of Him or second-guess Him. He likes it when we trust Him
enough to just wait on Him! In fact, take a look at this promise He makes for those of us who are willing to wait
on Him. Lamentations 3:25-26 (KJV) 25 The LORD is good unto them that
wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should
both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. God promises to be good to those of us
who will wait for him, all the while seeking Him. Sometimes it seems as if He is hiding. Maybe He does that so
we will seek Him. God says it is good for a person to hope and quietly wait for His salvation. While we have
salvation if we have received Christ as our Savior and Lord, we still need to be saved from the trials we go through on
this earth. I don't really think anybody likes to stand in a line waiting for something, yet, we do don't we?
At the market. At a sporting event. At a concert. There are plenty of things we're willing to wait for that
have to do with our enjoyment or sustenance in the way of earthly things. Why not choose to sit a while (or however
long it takes) and wait for God! Waiting does not necessarily
mean that we just sit in a lump, downcast, tapping our toe, feeling sorry for ourselves and being impatient because
we don't have an answer yet. Waiting actually is from the Hebrew word, "qavah," which means to wait
for, to look for, to expect and to hope. It is the root of the Hebrew noun, "tiqvah," meaning hope
or expectancy. We can wait for God while we're doing our everyday chores and meeting our everyday responsibilities.
It is a state of mind. A hopeful, expectant state. This is what happens when we wait on God! Psalm 40:1-3 (KJV) 1 I waited
patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me
up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear,
and shall trust in the LORD. Waiting is a hopeful and expectant state of mind, along with a quietness
and confident trust in the Lord. A trust that He is worth waiting for and that He will always show up and deliver
us at the perfect time. Isaiah 30:15 (KJV) 15 For thus saith
the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your
strength: and ye would not. There is a lesson to be learned from the Israelites about quiet, confident,
hopeful, expectant waiting on the Lord. God wanted them to chill out, take a rest and be quiet and confident.
Then, and only then, would they find His strength. But, no, they had to do it their own way, much to God's displeasure.
Because they chose their way above the Lord's way, they did not find victory. Isaiah 30:16-17 (KJV) 16 But ye said, No; for we will
flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee:
till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. We can learn from
both good examples and bad examples. From the bad examples, we learn what not to do. In this case, waiting on
the Lord quietly, confidently, expectantly, and hopefully is the road to victory. When we run around trying to fix
things in our own strength, it's not going to work out! Another exhilarating breath from God about waiting is this:
Isaiah 49:23 (NLT) .......... Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.” God
is breathing over you and me today and every day that, if we wait on Him with great expectation, we will never be ashamed! Do you ever run out of strength? Get weary? Feel faint?
Maybe even feel like giving up? I have been there and done all of those things. When my children were young,
my daughter knew that I counted on Isaiah 40:31 when I felt as if I could go no farther. She gave me a key chain with that verse on it and I carried
it around until it was too scratched up to use any more. The key chain is long gone but the Word is still alive and
well and it is in my heart, along with the memory of the sweet little girl that knew I needed to be reminded of that verse
often. We do get tired as the world seems to go faster and faster and we feel the need to keep on walking and, many
times run. Well, the promise for us who will wait on the Lord is that we will walk, run and even fly high! As
the old saying goes, "Why stay on the ground with the turkeys, when you can fly with the eagles?" God's promise
is that He will renew our strength when we've run out of steam. His promise is that we will mount up like the eagles. They
do not stay in the storm. They rise above it and soar on it's power! Are you ready to fly today? Fly high
above your circumstances and let them, with God's help, propel you to the next level? And, as an aside,
check out this breath from God, Psalm 103:4-5 (KJV) 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth
thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. God has promised to be good
to us when we trust and wait for Him! Not only will we mount up as eagles, He will renew our youth like the
eagle's. When we have taken the time to wait on the Lord, He promises that we will run
and not be weary. We will walk and not faint! When we take in this breath from God, Isaiah 40:31, we will have the breath to go on in life, walking, running and even flying with the strength that can only come from
the Lord. Now, that's worth waiting for! Amen? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 27, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S" FROM GOD - PART ELEVEN Psalms 27:1 (KJV) Throughout my life, I have struggled with fear. From my earliest childhood, although
not having many memories, fear characterized my life. I did not even realize how fearful I was until the Lord
began to peel back the layers of my spirit and start doing His work to show me that He had never given me a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) 7 For God hath not given us the
spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. It took many years of reading God's
Word, and this particular verse, for me to begin to start believing what God said. Without even knowing it, I was
in bondage, even though I have been a believer for many years! Romans 8:15 (KJV) 15 For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. You
and I, as believers have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. What we have received is power, love, a
sound mind and the Spirit of adoption. We are loved so much by the Father that, we can risk loving others without fear!
We are loved so much that God has given us power over our enemies, the dark spiritual forces that come against
us. We are loved so much that we have a sound mind. When we feel like we are losing our mind, especially
in this scary world in which we live, we can say, "I'm glad to lose my mind and replace it with the mind of Christ.!"
Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God. And, here's the clincher: We are loved so much that we have been adopted into the
family of God by His Holy Spirit. When fear tries to move in, all we need to do is call for our, "Daddy." God knew that I loved to sing and He gave me a voice to do it.
When I was younger, He used a song to burn Psalm 27:1 and following into my mind so I could pull it out and use it against the enemy when he tried to bring fear upon me.
What a merciful God we serve. He prepares us with and for things when we're not even aware of it. Since I have
been a teen, the phrase, "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom then shall I fear, whom then shall I fear?,"
has played over and over again in my mind on the tune to which it was written. In my mind's, "music room,"
the song goes on. "The Lord is the strength of my life, the Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom then
shall I be afraid." Oh, I wish you could hear the tune too! If you have ever struggled with fear, I would
encourage you to call on the Daddy that loved you so much that He adopted you. As kids at play used to say, when threatened
with a bully, "My daddy's bigger than your daddy. Well, our Daddy is bigger than anybody's daddy and He has promised
to be the strength of our life, so we need not be afraid. Of course the song continues with more affirmation of the
fact that, no matter what, I don't have to fear. "Though an host of men should rise up against me, yet will not
my heart be afraid. And, though there rose up war against me, yet shall I put my trust in Him." (Psalm 27:3). The Lord had inspired somebody to write a song that I could sing which had the words of scripture in it.
A song that would stick with me all of my life, although when I first learned it, I didn't know the fullness of the words
I was singing! Do you tend to fear what, "might be." Or maybe you're in a situation right now that
leaves you vulnerable to fear. This is not from God. Call out to your Daddy and ask Him to let those things He
has already given you rise up. Love, power, and a sound and disciplined mind. Not matter what formidable
thing is coming against you, Your Daddy is bigger! The
song I am referring to goes on with more words from Psalm 27 that encourage me to put my trust in, "Daddy," because He's going to hide me (and you) in
a place where the enemies from the dark world of Satan cannot reach us! Is that a, "Hallelujah," statement
or what? Here are the words, "For He shall hide me in His tabernacle, yea, in the secret places of His dwelling,
shall He hide me." How wonderful is that? God will hide you and me in His very own pavilion, or tabernacle!
The place of this tabernacle is way above any problem we might be facing that tempts us to fear. We do not live under
the circumstances of this world. We live above them. We are hidden in God's tabernacle! Jesus is right
there with us. Ephesians 2:4-6 (KJV) 4 But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins,
hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: The words to that song
go on to even more encouragement: "...and set me up, upon a rock of stone." (taken from Psalm 27:5) God has set you and me up. He has set us upon an unshakable Rock - even upon Jesus, Himself.
Now that's a pretty high "set-up!" This Rock that God has set us on is not just a rock, He's the Chief Cornerstone.
Isaiah 28:16 (AMP) 16 Therefore thus says the Lord
God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he
who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden
panic]. As long as you and I cling to, rely on and adhere to Christ, we have no reason to be afraid of
anything. In these days, I hear God breathing confidence and assurance over us. Breath in and be refreshed and
rejuvenated with power, love, a sound mind, strength, and protection! It's all ours through Christ Jesus! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 26, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART TEN Esther 4:14 (KJV) 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy
peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's
house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? In case you read yesterday's Morning Manna
and, reading this morning scripture verse makes you think this is a repeat of yesterday's thoughts, it is not. While
writing on the importance of knowing that we are placed where we are, when we are, two other things about Esther 4:14 really sparked my interest. There is a time to speak up and, if we don't respond to God's calling, He will use
someone else. Although I have read through the Bible many times, I guess I had not really read this verse trying to
understand the fullness of what God is saying. All of a sudden, I felt that He was saying quite a lot in the few words
in this particular verse and I had only focused on one thing. Today I am thinking of the importance of doing what God
calls us to do. There is a time to be quiet but there is also a time to speak when prompted by the Holy Spirit.
Esther's cousin, Mordecai, seemed to know that this was Esther's time to speak up. He is telling her in Esther 4:14 that, if she does not speak up, God's plan will go ahead anyway. Do you think it is the same with us today?
If we do not speak up when prompted by the Holy Spirit, will God's plan be thwarted? Not in the least! He's going
to get His plan accomplished with our obedience or without it! The
Jewish people needed deliverance. Do we know anyone today that needs deliverance? Are there times when we hold
our peace (do not speak) because we are afraid of what people will think of us? Esther seemed to be having trouble
with fear, at first, too. Of course, she feared that she would be put to death if she spoke without being
spoken to by the king. We, at this point, do not have to fear for our lives if we don't speak up about the love, mercy,
and justice of God. There are plenty of people out there that are in dire need of deliverance from their sin.
People who have never heard about Jesus. God doesn't want any of them to die in their sin. 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) 9 The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. Just as God did not want the Jewish people of Esther's day to be destroyed,
God does not want anyone in our day to die without the opportunity to repent and receive eternal life. So, there are
times when you and I need to overcome the fear of rejection and speak up, speaking the truth in love to those
around us. The promise is this: Romans 10:13 (KJV) 13 For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. But, who will speak up and deliver the message of the promise to
a dying world? Romans 10:14 (KJV) 14 How then shall they call on
him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? Somehow, I don't think the Apostle, Paul, was talking just about members of
the, "clergy," and those who have attended seminary, here. The word translated, "preacher," means,
"to be a herald and to proclaim." It is also translated, "to publish." It seems to me that
Jesus has called all of us to herald the good news of the gospel, to proclaim Him as Savior of the world, and to publish
(make generally known) the Word of God. Here's another
question Paul asks, Romans 10:15 (KJV) 15 And how shall
they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things! Queen Esther was sent to earth when she was and placed in
the palace by God. She was highly favored, but still sent. As Mordecai told her, it was not time for her
to be silent when her people were about to be destroyed. Esther had the choice to accept the privilege of and
the responsibility for doing the thing she was sent to do. It was her assignment to speak up at that time, even though
she faced the possibility of death for doing so. Although she evidently experienced fear at the outset of
such a perilous assignment, she determined to fast, and asked others to fast with her, before she set out about doing the
difficult thing she had to do. She had to face the king even though she had not been called by him. Today you
and I have been called by the King of Kings. Our King receives us whenever we call on Him.
He's not interested in turning people away or decreeing a death sentence. On the contrary, He wants to give anyone
who will receive it, eternal and abundant life. John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. We've
been called (or sent) to live lives that herald, proclaim, publish and preach His love and salvation to others so that
they will not face destruction. Mark 16:15 (KJV) 15 And he said unto them, Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mordecai let Esther in on another little
secret. The job, and the blessing for doing it, was offered to her by God, but she had a choice as to whether
to do it or not. Her refusal would not deter God from saving the people that He loved. If Esther did not respond
to the call, deliverance would come from another source and, not only would Esther not receive the blessing that comes from
obedience, she would be destroyed! I'm not saying that we will be destroyed if we don't speak up when prompted by the
Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of the gospel; but I do know that Jesus wants us to bear fruit and He places
the opportunity in front of us all the time. John 15:8 (KJV) 8 Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. If we listen ever so closely, can we hear God breathing
over us, "you shall be my disciples?" By our words, actions, and lifestyle,
we can preach to those around us who have not yet received salvation. Like Queen Esther, we can run with our assignment
and receive the blessing as others are blessed by being rescued from destruction. Is it time to speak rather than
holding our peace or keeping silent? Is God breathing His Word into us so we can breathe it out on others? I
believe so! The question I have to ask myself is, "Am I willing to speak up at the Holy Spirit's designated
time and place?" Queen Esther was willing to speak up against all odds, are we? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 25, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART NINE Esther 4:14 (KJV) 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy
peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's
house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? This morning, and every morning, I hear God breathing purpose
over my life. His purpose. I don't always see or understand the specifics of His purpose in every
situation but I know that He has a purpose for me every day, in every situation I find myself in, and in every place I am.
He planned things before my parents ever thought of me. He made me a masterpiece, a fine work of His own. All
of us, who are believers, were created to do good works. We may not have a clue from day to day exactly what those
works will be but, they will be good and, as we do them, we will be fulfilling God's purpose for our lives and for His plan.
Ephesians 2:10 (KJV) 10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. When
we have found new life in Christ, we can know that He has a purpose for our lives. Our paths have been prepared ahead
of time by God and each day, we can walk contentedly knowing that wherever we are, whatever situation we're in, and however
we feel, we are right where we are, "for such a time as this." We may find ourselves in places where we
never intended to go and where we thought we would never go. We might also find ourselves in positions we never
expected to be in. Nevertheless, when we're allowing God to direct our steps, we know that He has a purpose for
what is going on in our lives. It is a good purpose because He has created us to do good things. Esther was a common little girl and she was an orphan. Her cousin, Mordecai,
had taken care of her since she was orphaned. Probably, never in her wildest dreams, did she ever consider that she
would one day be, Queen Esther. It is not mentioned in scripture that she aspired to be a queen. She was, as
we might put it today, "a nobody." She was a beautiful girl but she was an ordinary citizen. As
it happened, King Ahasuerus (who was very powerful, reigning over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia)
needed a new queen. Queen Vashti, the reigning Queen, had decided to, "become her own person," in essence.
She chose not to be the submissive wife that a king should have. As a result, Queen Vashti was removed from
her royal position. The king, feeling the need for another queen, agreed to have his officials, "round up,"
all the beautiful virgins in the area and bring them into custody where they would be given beauty preparations and
then brought before the king to see which one pleased him. Esther ended up in the, "round up."
She was a Jew but Mordecai had instructed her not to reveal that information. Because Esther was submissive
to Mordecai, who had raised her as his own daughter, she obeyed. As it turned out, because God had a plan for
Esther, she received favor from those in authority. Finally, when it was her turn to go before the king, he loved
her more than any of the other women. She obtained grace and favor with King Ahasuerus and he crowned her as his new
queen! Esther may have been taken from her home against her will. It was certainly a very different kind
of life that she had to enter. It was a whole year of preparation for her, in a strange place, around people she
did not know. However, in all of this, God was working and Esther was submissive and humble. We may go through
seasons that we did not expect and wonder when it was all going to end and, more importantly, how it was going to end.
I wonder if Esther wondered those things. Then, wonder of
wonders, this little orphan girl, became a queen! It's true! With God, all things are possible! But, God
didn't make Esther a queen just so she could be pampered and become proud of her position. God had a purpose
and a plan for Esther. There was a certain man, Haman, who hated the Jewish people. He deceived and tricked
King Ahasuerus into ordering the destruction of the Jews. (Esther 3:8-15) Esther's cousin found out about the plot and got the message to Esther, asking her to go
before King Ahasuerus to plead for her people to be spared from such a slaughter. There was just one problem.
Thus far, Esther had great favor with the king but if anyone were to go before the king without being called, it was almost
certain death. Unless the king would hold out the golden scepter, the uncalled caller would be put to death.
Esther had not been called to go before the king for at least thirty days at this point. She now had a great life.
She had been promoted and, as long as she kept quiet and did what she was told, she had just about everything at her command.
Now, Mordecai was asking her to do something for which she could be killed. When we are receiving God's favor
and His promotion, it's not just for us to use for our own comfort and desires. It's so that we can be a part
of His plan. So we can further His Kingdom. That's the way it was with Esther. She was afraid at first
to go before the king without being called but her cousin wisely reminded her that she was just as much at risk of dying
as the rest of the Jewish people if the king's order was carried out. Esther 4:13-14 (NLT) 13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther:
“Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will
arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such
a time as this?” This story has a happy ending (at least for Esther and Mordecai). The end
of our story will be very good too if we are following the plan and purpose of God even when we find ourselves in scary,
unfamiliar and perhaps awkward positions. Queen Esther had already gone through a lot of changes in her life and now
it looked like she was set for life. She was the queen and she would stay that way, if she didn't make waves.
But, Esther soon figured out that she was in the palace for a bigger purpose than just for her own comfort and provision.
She overcame her fear and agreed to go before the king. Esther 4:16 (KJV) 16 Go, gather together all the
Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens
will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther became willing to die if she had to, so her people would not be destroyed. Even though Jesus has
given you and me abundant life, we may have some difficult assignments in some difficult places in life. Today, God
is breathing over me that I am right where I am for, "such a time as this." I do not know the outcome yet
of all the times I have been in situations that were challenging and even scary. But, this I do know. God has
a plan and a purpose for you and me and His, "breath's," His Word, will sustain and deliver us as we follow
His direction no matter what. We are right here, right now, for such a time as this. Let's make the most of it! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 24, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART EIGHT Isaiah 43:19 (KJV) 19 Behold,
I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers
in the desert. With every approaching new year, I begin to ask God for a Word that I might dwell upon in the upcoming year. Something
He has chosen just for me. For this year, 2010, my, "Word," was, Isaiah 43:19. And, I have seen Him doing new things in many areas of my life. His Word to us never fails. Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 11 So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which
I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. When God opens up His Word to us, it will
begin to change us. Our circumstances may or may not be changed. In fact, our circumstances may look worse before
God allows us to see that He is working things to come out better! The wonderful thing is that we will be
changed and able to move on from the things of the past. Israel was in bondage to Babylon at the time God spoke
the words in Isaiah 43:19. And, just before He spoke those words, He spoke these words. Isaiah 43:18 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Some
of us may find ourselves in some kind of captivity or bondage this morning. It could even be due to our own poor choices.
No matter what, God loves us and He loves us too much to leave us without deliverance. He is always wanting to
do new things in our lives but we can't really fully receive and recognize those, "new," things until we rid ourselves
of past things and thoughts so we can totally focus Him and on the new thing He is doing. Even when we can't see
our way out of problems in life; even though there are hurdles that seem to high to jump, God is making a way for you
and for me! He's making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert! It's interesting to
note that the Apostle, Paul, said to forget the things of the past and press on. (Philippians 3:13-14) I get the feeling that God is telling you and me that He can't work new things in us and for us until we let go of
the past. Both the good things and the hard things from the past. Are there a few things that we are clinging
to from the past that we need to let go? Do we need to ask God to reveal those things to us, since we may
not even realize that our hands are still too full of the past to receive the blessings of the present? It
may not seem as bad to hold on to the, "good," experiences and things in our lives as it is to hold on to things
that make us bitter or sad. But, in both Isaiah 43:19 and Philippians 3:13-14, God doesn't seem to make a distinction about what kind of things to let go of. He seems to just be saying let go
of the past - totally! There is a danger in holding on to good experiences we have had because we can tend to become
proud or centered on the gift of the experience, rather than the Giver of the experience or thing. Of course, the
danger of holding onto the hard things of the past is that we may become angry, resentful and bitter. God
has so many good things, "up His sleeve," that He wants to show us; but, He can't if we're still looking backwards
instead of looking at Him. He is in the now. He is the great, "I AM." Notice He says,
what He is doing is going to spring forth, now! What a shame to be focused on what God has done or hoping
for what He will do and miss the excitement of the new thing that He is bringing forth right now in our lives! Right
now, God is opening up the way to the future for us. He promised that He would make a way in the wilderness.
I'll venture to say that you, like me, have had times in your life that made you think you were lost in a wilderness with
no way out. That wilderness may have seemed (or many now seem) so vast that you can't even see which way to turn.
But there is a Way out. God has told us that He will direct us in many places in scripture. Isaiah 30:21 (KJV) 21 And thine ears shall hear a
word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Don't we also sometimes experience, "dry," "desert," times in our lives? Times
when our spirits feel parched and our emotions feel totally dried up? It's right now, if you are in
one of those times, that God is speaking, breathing a word over you that He's going to make rivers flow in the desert!
When you and I receive promises such as this one letting us know that God is always wanting to do a new thing in our lives,
we are refreshed. We know that, because we have His Spirit within us, His promise is now and will always be. Right
out of our wilderness and desert experiences; out of the dry places in our emotions and even our spirit, God's spirit
will cause the Living Water to flow! John 7:37-39 (KJV) 37 In the last day, that great
day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Isaiah did not know
the fullness of the promise of the Living Water that would flow through us and neither did the hearer's of Jesus's
words when He spoke them because He had not yet been glorified. But, praise God, you and I know the fullness of
His Spirit within us. We have the Holy Spirit which Jesus was speaking about! The Holy Spirit is like
a wind or a, "breath," It is His Spirit that is now doing a new thing in our lives, hovering over the chaos
and bringing order. Raining on the dry, cracked ground of our emotions. He's doing a new thing right now!
As the scripture says, in one translation, "Do you not see it?" When we can't see it, it may be
that there are some things from the past we need to let go of so we can focus on what God is doing right now. We,
His people are created to praise Him. Isaiah 43:21 21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. As
He breathes a new thing over us, let's praise Him for all He has done in the past, leave it with Him, and fully enjoy His
presence and His gift of a new thing, right now, in the present! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 23, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART SEVEN Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) Have you ever been confused about things
in life? Things that seemingly have no answer? Even if we are believers, there are challenges that come
in life that may shake us almost to the core. But God....... The enemy would love to trip us up and leave
us in the dark. But God has given us His light! Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my
feet, and a light unto my path. God has given us His Word to be a Light for us today! Jesus is the
Word. John 1:14 (KJV) 14 And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Talk
about great and mighty things! God has shown us His own Son! Who or what could be more mighty than that?
We did not know Jesus; but God has revealed Himself through Jesus. The One that we did not know before, we can know
now! The enemy is roaring around and trying to make us think he is in control, but no!
If we are walking in obedience to Christ, we have overcome any spirits that would try to bring confusion and destruction
upon us! 1 John 4:4 (KJV) 4 Ye are of God, little children,
and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. When God spoke these words to Jeremiah, Jeremiah was in prison.
(Jeremiah 33:1-2) There are times in our lives when we feel as though we are in prison, Aren't there? We find ourselves
in dilemmas that we can't solve and for which no answers are possible. I have found myself there and couldn't
think of a soul to call on who might be able to help me. God knew that we would face these things in life. Jeremiah
did not have the knowledge that we have today about Jesus being the Word we can run to when we need answers to things that
are just too perplexing for us. But, Jeremiah was in touch with God. He was a man of faith. God spoke
to him, even there in the prison. God spoke words of encouragement to him, letting him know that he could call on God,
who would show him the things he needed to know. That offer is still ours today. Not only are we invited
to ask but we are assured by Jesus that we would get an answer. Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV) 7 Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Even when we find that we have slipped into, or been pushed into, one of the pits in life, God invites
us, just as He invited Jeremiah, to call upon Him and to know that He will answer us and show us things we have not
recognized up to this point. Things that are beyond what we could know by ourselves. He certainly is able
to show us answers and ways far above what we could ask or believe! Ephesians 3:20-32 (KJV) 20 Now unto him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. If
you find yourself in a pit of life this morning, feeling imprisoned by your situation, look up! God wants to show
you higher things! Things beyond your wildest imagination. Truths that will lift you out of the pit and
set you free! Do you want to do God's will and know that you are doing it? Maybe
you don't see how you can accomplish the dream God has put in your heart. Maybe you don't even know if God put it
there or it is just something you thought up on your own. I was encouraged by the following story which made me think,
not only of Jeremiah 33:3 but also of Romans 12:2 (KJV) 2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God. When our minds are transformed by God's word, God will show us how to know and
prove His will for us. He will shows us great and mighty things. He will make ways where there is no way. I
hope you will be inspired to call upon God and expect His answer as you read this: A group of Texas Gideons,
was responsible for initiating the idea of adding a copy of the Scriptures to the cargo of moon-orbiting Apollo 8, according
to Decision editor Sherwood E. Wirt. A new group of Gideons had been meeting each Monday morning for prayer in Pasadena,
Texas, a suburb of Houston. One of them confided to the group that he had been praying that God's Word would be aboard the
sophisticated craft on its historic mission. Bass Redd, chief of the flight technical branch of the Manned Spacecraft Center,
heard the remark and said, "Let me see what I can do. I know Commander Borman. He is a fine Christian. You claim Jeremiah 33:3." In early December the Gideon representative was able to reach Borman and asked, "Do you have a copy
of God's Word aboard?" Borman allegedly replied, "No, and I'm glad you reminded me of it." The Gideons
presented all three astronauts with New Testaments which they took on the journey to the moon. Commander Borman also took
along his personal copy of the Bible. Each edition was covered with non-combustible material. Genesis 1:1-10 were read by the three astronauts on Christmas Eve from Commander Borman's own Bible, passed—or floated—from
man to man. —Pastor's Manual Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times This
morning, may it be that we hear God's breath over us. calling us to call on Him and giving us the confidence that He will,
indeed, answer and show us great and mighty things about His will and His good plans for us that we didn't know before! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 22, 2010 SOME OF
MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART SIX Proverbs
17:22 (KJV) Good morning and, as a radio preacher used to say every morning,
"How, in this world, are you?" As for myself, I am blessed! I am currently in the hospital, nevertheless,
I am blessed! And, I am healed! There are times in all of our lives when our bodies don't quite recognize
the fact that we are healed. Jesus bought and paid for our wholeness over two thousand years ago
on the cross. There are also times in all of our lives when we feel emotionally or mentally not quite
the way we think we should. The enemy can use these times of weakness to make us feel like we are
not blessed of God. But, we are blessed of God and the healing is already done in all areas, even though
we may not have seen it yet. I'm amazed (and sometimes, admittedly, disappointed) that God doesn't let us
know just exactly when we will see with our eyes what we already know by faith. However, when Jesus said
those words of closure on the cross, "It is finished," He meant it. He had finished paying for
our salvation. The word for salvation actually has to do with rescue and deliverance. It is deliverance
and safety, both morally and physically. One of the words used to explain the original Greek Word in the Strong's Dictionary
is, "health." When we don't get hung up in the, "here and now," we can totally trust that we are
saved, healed and delivered. If we receive physical healing on earth (and I have experienced miraculous
healing in my own body several times, in addition to seeing God's miracle healing in others), we have been greatly blessed.
However, it is my personal opinion, that God, in His perfect timing, sometimes waits until we get to Heaven to
open our eyes to the healing that is ours through Jesus. On earth, there will be more challenges, physically, emotionally
and mentally. There is no limit to the number of times God can step in and heal because ALL things are
possible with Him. Matthew 19:26 (KVJ) 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said
unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Jesus
raised Lazarus from the dead but Lazarus eventually had to die and leave this earth behind. In my mind, the ultimate
healing and the total manifestation of all that Jesus died to give us will come when we see Him face to face! So, I imagine that, right about now, you're saying, "What in this
world is she talking about? What does this have to do with a merry heart?" I do believe that Jesus uses
many different avenues in which to manifest His healing to us. One of those ways is to make us a partner with Him
by receiving the joy that is His gift to us. The Hebrew word from which, "merry," was translated is
also translated, "rejoicing," and, "joy." So, as we receive joy from Jesus we are receiving
something that fills us to overflowing and is complete. John 15:11 (KJV) 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my
joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. The Amplified Bible says, "...that
My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing."
Even though Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, He also had joy! This may seem like an impossibility
to us if we get joy and happiness confused with one another. I always try to remember that, "happiness,"
is fleeting, as they say. That is because happiness is based on what is happening at the moment. Joy that comes
from Jesus is not dependent upon where we are or what is happening to us. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit
of Jesus. We may have, "happenings," in our life that make us a bit confused, bring tears and heartache, and
trouble our physical bodies, etc. Then, we will also have, "happenings," in our life that make us feel good.
Neither of these kinds of happenings can change our joy. If Jesus said that He gave it to us in full measure,
complete and overflowing, we have it just that way! If God gives us something, nothing can take it away.
The only way we can lose it is by choosing to throw it away. Jesus gifted His joy to us so that we could rejoice,
no matter what was going on in our life. Have
you been to the pharmacy lately? How about those prices on over-the-counter medicines and prescriptions?!? Medicine
is not cheap! But God has given us something we can take out and use, without cost. It will be good for us with
no adverse side effects. It is better than any pricey medicine we can purchase. It has already been paid
for by the Lord Jesus, the Great Physician. A merry, or rejoicing, heart is good like medicine. The Hebrew word
translated, "medicine," here means, "cure." Wow! A rejoicing heart can actually be a cure for
what ails us! On the contrary, as stated in Proverbs 17:22, a broken or wounded spirit dries us up. The great thing is that, if we have received forgiveness
and eternal life from Jesus, our spirit remains intact because He lives there. We can be broken or wounded in our soul
or emotions but nothing can get to His joy that He has put inside of us. We might feel confused and sometimes
ashamed because of those emotional wounds. We might even become disappointed and feel like we're about to
wither away. That's exactly when it's time to rejoice! No wonder the Apostle Paul said, "Rejoice
always." Then, in the same breath, he said, "Again, I say, rejoice!" Laughter is a good
sign of joy. We can even laugh through our tears! When joy overflows into laughter, despite our situation, it
does become like a medicine! It releases serotonin and other neuropeptides that actually do make our bodies
feel better. Scientific studies have even shown that laughter (or joy) builds our immune systems. In
another study, scientists noted that diabetics who added humor to their lives for a year, after having a first heart
attack, were much less likely to suffer a second heart attack than those who did not add laughter to their lives.
Have you ever noticed how contented you feel, even in bad circumstances, if you can find something to laugh about?
It makes us feel contented to laugh, in spite of things. It helps us to learn to be content in every circumstance.
This morning, is God breathing joy, laughter, and contentment over you? Those are some of my favorite, "God-breath's"
If you're feeling a bit withered, take in a deep breath and let the joy that Jesus gave you flow into laughter. Share
that laughter with someone else and spread the joy! Receive and spread the healing joy of a merry heart. Rejoice -
it's good medicine! You don't even have to go out and buy it. It's within you! Proverbs 17:22 (AMP) 22 A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful
mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. MORNING MANNA - APRIL 21, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART FIVE 1 John 4:19 (KJV) 19 We
love him, because he first loved us. I remember, as a young woman, checking out the guys. I would
always see one that I liked and pursue him. Of course, I did not have much success at doing that.
It's supposed to be the other way around! The guys are supposed to chase the girls! You and I, as believers,
are the Bride of Christ. We did not chase after our Bridegroom. In fact, we were His enemies!
We weren't all that good looking; but look what our Bridegroom did! He pursued us! Romans 5:8 (KJV) 8 But God commendeth his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Yes, our Bridegroom loved us when we were
still unlovely and unloving. He loved us so much that He gave His life for us. When I met my husband, I was
in the process of trying to capture the attention of another man. The one thing that stands out most about
my husband is that, no matter what I did, he pursued me. No matter how I treated him, he was always there.
He was relentless in his pursuit. He showed me, in this earthly life, what Jesus did and does for us, as
His Bride. He waits for us. He's patient with us. He keeps on inviting us to His side. He blesses
us. He is relentless in His pursuit of us. Why does He do that? Simply because of love. God
gave His love to us, through Jesus, so that we, who were once unloving and unlovely, could be transformed into the spotless
Bride of Christ. What transforms us? It is the persistent and unconditional love of God. He tells
us all through scripture that we are loved. We can choose to believe it or not. If we don't believe it, God's
love for us will not change but we won't know the joy that can be ours by receiving His love! God
does love us! He wants us to know that we know, that we know, that He loves us. His love for us will
do us no good if we don't believe it is true! John 8:32 (KJV) 32 And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. It's only when we know the truth that the truth becomes
reality in our lives and makes us free. The truth is that God loves you and me! While we were still sinners,
God loved us! And, He loved us too much to leave us in a sinful state. So He sent His Son to die for us.
To reconcile us to Himself. Romans 5:10 (KJV) 10 For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. I
did not understand God's love for me and I'm still learning to plumb the depths of it. If you were raised in a
home where you felt that the love extended to you depended upon your actions, you may have trouble understanding God's
love too. Many parents, most probably without knowing it, give their children the idea that they will love them more
if their children are, "good." If they mind their manners and act in accordance with the parent's perception
of what is right. There's no doubt about it. Children should be trained to do the right thing. However,
the reason the child does the right thing should come from the unconditional love of the parent, not the strict
demands to a, "code of ethics." That's the way it is with us and God. We can know that He loves us
unconditionally. He loved us when we were not worthy of His love. Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) 3
The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee. As His Spirit wooed us and invited us,
we were drawn in His direction. It was His love that drew us to Him. It is His love that should motivate
us to live Godly lives. God will not love us more just because we do more works for Him. He already
loves us as much as He's ever going to love us. He is love! 1 John 4:8 (KJV) 8 He that loveth not knoweth not
God; for God is love. You and I do not have the power to change God's unconditional and everlasting
love for us by anything we do or don't do! We can choose to ignore it or reject it but, the truth is that
God will love us whether we love Him back or not. His love does not excuse our sin. It allows us the choice to repent
and receive the forgiveness that Jesus died to give us. Love leaves the choice to the one that is loved. When
we finally realize how much God loves us as an individual, we will be able to risk loving others, even those that are unlovely.
We will remember how God loved us when we didn't deserve it and we will be prompted by His love in us, and flowing through
us, to do the same for others. That's how we know that we really love God. We will love what He loves.
What, or more precisely, who does He love? He loves the people that He created. Some translations of 1 John 4:19 read this way: 1 John 4:19 (NIV) 19 We love because
he first loved us. The truth is that we can't love God or love anyone else unless we first receive love
from God. We can't give something away that we don't have. We don't have any love in us at all if we don't get
it from the Source of Love, God, Himself. His love will allow us to love, even our enemies, without fear or resentment.
Matthew 5:44 (KJV) 44 But I say unto you, Love your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you; All of the commandments are based on love. Love for God and love for one another. Matthew 22:37-40 (KVJ) 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38
This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second
is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Jesus did not come to destroy the law. He
came to fulfill it. How did Jesus fulfill the law? He loved His Father with all of His heart and He loved you and
me enough to die for us! He fulfilled the law with love! Now He is calling you and me to do the same thing. John 13:34-35 (KJV) 34 A new commandment I give unto
you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. We are to love
one another in the same way Jesus loves us. In fact, our love for one another will be the evidence that proves we are
disciples of Jesus! I am not yet where I want to be in this area but I am surely not where I used to be, thanks
to God's love for me. God's love is the answer to everything. He is love and He shares what He is with us!
I believe God is breathing love over you and me today and everyday. It is that love that we receive from Him
that will equip us to love Him back and to love others, thereby fulfilling the law completely through the power of His Spirit.
We can only love like this because He first loved us! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 20, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S," FROM GOD - PART FOUR Philippians 4:11 (KJV)
May
I start out by saying that the Apostle Paul said he had learned to be content, no matter what. I am still
in the process of learning to do that. Are you? Yesterday, I was hurrying around doing chores and errands.
Last night, I found myself in the hospital. God is helping me learn to be content, no matter what. These
are hard lessons! My doctor had called as soon as I got in the door yesterday afternoon letting me know
that I have an infection which is resistant to the only antibiotic I can take by mouth. I'm allergic to most all antibiotics,
so he ordered me to the hospital immediately for I.V. treatment. No time to finish chores. "Do
not pass go. Do not collect $200.00," as the Monopoly game says. We never know what a day will bring, do
we? I did not feel sick, just a bit worn out. Part of learning to be content is that you and I can be assured
that God is directing our steps. Proverbs 16:9 (KJV) 9 A man's heart deviseth his way:
but the LORD directeth his steps. For sure, I had planned out my own day in my heart. I had
figured out how I could get everything I needed to do done before the end of the day. Then the call came! I
had devised my way for the day but, obviously, the Lord had other plans! Part of His plan is, I am sure, to help me
learn to be content! If you have ever made plans that were interrupted because God directed your steps in another
direction, I'm sure you can relate! So, what does it mean
to be content? The Greek word used, to describe, "content," means to be, "self-complacent."
It means to be self-sufficient, adequate, and needing no assistance, according to Vine's Dictionary. When we're sure
that God is watching over us and allowing nothing into our lives that will not be turned for good, we can be content.
When we're secure in our relationship with the Lord and content with where we are at each moment, we have received great
gain! 1 Timothy 6:6 (KJV) 6 But godliness with contentment
is great gain. The thing is, that Paul had to learn to operate in that state of contentedness and
we have to learn too. Are you following everything the Lord has told you to do and do you have contentment right
where you are at the moment? Would you still have that contentment if the circumstances in your life took a turn
for, what looked like, the worst? If things are not going as you would have planned them, right now, why not ask God
to help you as you learn to be content right where you are? If the Apostle, Paul, could learn to be content after
going through beatings, shipwrecks, etc., you and I can learn too! It can be downright dangerous to allow ourselves to be discontented! The Amplified Bible shows us one thing
that can happen when we're not content. James 4:2 (AMP) 2 You are jealous and covet [what
others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are
concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness
that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask. Don't we sometimes
think that others, who might have more than we do, are happier? Do we ever wish we had what they had because we are
seeking for contentment in the wrong things and in the wrong way? We can be jealous over other people's things as well
as their positions and their relationships. When we try to get those same things in our own power instead of
asking God for what we need, our hearts become hard and prone to jealousy, hatred envy and anger. This leads to fighting
and war! Wouldn't it be better to learn to be content where we are and trust that God has already provided
a way for us even though we haven't seen it yet? His way! His way is always the best way! Laying in a hospital
bed having to a needle stuck in my veins is not my idea of a good time! However, God is breathing His breath
of life over me letting me know that He's on my case! I am here for a purpose. His purpose. This is not
only a lesson in learning to be content, but also a lesson in learning to walk stronger in faith! Romans 1:17 (KJV) 17 For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Do you have
a situation, or situations, in your life this morning that are challenging? Is it hard to be content with where you
are? Is your faith being tested? Together, we can continue our lessons in contentment because we know that the
Lord is always watching over us, never sleeping. If we have health problems, the Great Physician is on our case.
If we have financial problems, the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills is going to take care of us. If we have
relationship problems, we can continue to love in spite of how another may be treating us because God first loved us.
If we are grieving, we know that God has promised to be close to the broken-hearted. This life is a series of lessons
and of going from faith to faith - one level of faith to another, as our faith is exercised; sometimes through
adversity. All the while God is breathing His Words of love and care over us and into us if we will receive them!
His breath over me is to be content, knowing that my contentment rests in the fact that His plan for me is the best plan
and that He's not going to leave me alone or let anything happen to me that will not ultimately have good results.
Is that what He's breathing over you today? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 19, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATH'S, FROM GOD - PART THREE Philippians 4:13 (KJV) There are some times, in fact, many times, that I feel too weak
to do something that I need to do. It may be because I have to step out and do something that is unfamiliar to
me. Or, it may be that I have started a project and lack the energy to complete it. It could be that I have a
lack of confidence. As believers, do we sometimes get tired of doing the right things in obedience to Christ?
Do we feel weak in that area? In one way, feeling weak can be a positive thing because we know that we are promised
that we can do all things through Christ as He strengthens us. I'm going through a testing
in that area right now. I am about to do something that requires energy and, quite frankly, I feel weak!
Not only do I feel that way, but I just rehearsed what I am about to do and I didn't like it. I had trouble keeping
up! It's almost time for the performance and, once again, as I have had to do so many times in the past, I count on
this God-breathed verse of scripture to me. "I can do whatever He has asked me to do even if I
feel weak because He will strengthen me! I used to carry a three by five card with me all the time to remind myself
of that fact. It is not bad to be weak! The Apostle, Paul, said the following. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV) 9 And he said unto me, My grace
is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. You
and I probably think of Paul as a very strong person. What we see in Him is not his own strength. He admits that
sometimes he is weak. But, here's the kicker. He said that when he was weak, then he was strong!
He was strong in the strength that Jesus gives us when we feel weak. Watch this! 1 Corinthians 1:27 (KJV) 27 But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty; At the times when you and I feel the weakest, that's when God's mighty power comes to strengthen
us. God has chosen the weak things (according to this world's standards) to confound or confuse the things that think they
are too mighty to fall. Weakness, in our natural selves, leaves room for God's strength to enter and make us strong. How do we learn to walk in this idea that, when we are weak, God will
strengthen us through Christ? One good thing to remember is this: John 15:3-5 (KJV) 3 Now ye are clean through the
word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. We are clean through the Word that Jesus has spoken to us. He
wants us now to abide in Him and let Him abide in us. No more going out into the world and getting dirty again!
Whatever we do, we should do because we know it is glorifying to God. Yet, we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in,
or dwell in, Him. He is the vine from which we get our nourishment and strength. He will bring forth the fruit
in us as we trust in His strength and power to do it. We can't do it by ourselves! Jesus clearly said that we can't
do anything without Him! We must be practicing walking in the fact that God will strengthen us in all things through
Christ as we learn to abide in Him! Just before
Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ.......," he spoke about contentment. Philippians 4:11-12 (KJV) 11 Not that I speak in respect of want:
for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I
know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and
to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. During Paul's life he had experienced both ends of the
spectrum. He had been without and he had experienced abundance. He had learned not to let either of these
circumstances affect who He was in Christ. Through all of these changes, Paul had learned to be content. No matter
what! That, in itself, is evidence that Christ is strengthening us! He did so for Paul and He'll do it for you
too! Is that where we are today? Fully trusting that, even in our weakness, we can be strong by the power of
Christ? Are we so content in that fact that we are just abiding in Christ and that He will fill us with fruit
that will glorify Him? If not, maybe God wants to breathe this scripture over us. Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I
do believe that contentment will free us from worrying about our weaknesses. It's easy to be content when you
know that your Abba Father is there to hold you up and strengthen you when you feel as though you're going to fall!
Our God is so merciful that He offers to step in when our strength has run out and give us His strength instead.
Do you think He sometimes allows our strength to run out so He can fill us with His more powerful strength?
I kinda think so! Are you feeling weak in any way this morning? Remember that you can do everything God wants
you to do and He will pour His strength in you so you can finish it. Remember that you can't do anything without Jesus
anyway! Remember to be content at all times. God is working in you to turn all things to the good when you are
walking according to His purpose for you and loving Him! Feel weak? Call on Jesus! He's just waiting
for your call so He can pour His miraculous strength into you! Breathe that prayer to Him, "Lord, I need You.
I am weak." Listen to Him breathe back into you, "But, I am strong and I'm about to pour My strength
into you! You can do this thing that I have called you to do because I am giving you the strength!" MORNING MANNA - APRIL 18, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE, "BREATHS," FROM GOD - PART THREE 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Have you ever felt powerless? The things we encounter in life have a way of trying
to make us feel that way at times. We might then start to fear. But, as God has breathed to us in 2 Timothy 1:6, He has not given us that spirit of fear. He has given us power! If we are believers
and followers of Christ, we have all the power inside of us that raised Jesus from the dead! According to the Greek
word used, it means, "force." It is the ability to do what we have to do in every circumstance. Philippians 4:13 (KJV) 13 I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me. We even have an abundance of power! The One
living in us can do miracles through us. Mark 16:17-18 (KJV) 17 And these signs shall follow
them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover. Now, that's a lot of power that Jesus has given those
who believe! Do we sometimes neglect to use that power when prompted by the Holy Spirit because we are afraid? The
Apostle, Paul, had just told Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him. Then Paul said, "because God has
not given us the spirit of fear........" Instead, God has given us power to use the gifts He has placed
in us. Since Paul finished his command to Timothy to stir up the gift inside of him by saying that God has not
given us a spirit of fear, I'm thinking that we might need to be reminded of the same thing. I know I
need to be reminded. I do not always step out when the Spirit says to step out. In my mind, I think things like,
"What if I pray for this person and they don't get healed?" Or, I might question it if the Lord has shown
me that someone is in bondage to demonic power, thinking I am just imagining things. There are all kinds of ways that
a spirit of fear might try to overtake us. But, God's breath to us this morning is that we are never powerless, so
we need not fear! Have you ever known someone that
you just could not love? Some people are just plain hard to love! These unlovely people may be in our family,
in our school, in our work place and, yes, even in our church! They may even be used of the devil and appear to be
our enemies! But, we know we are not fighting people. What we are fighting are the principalities and powers
that may use people who are unaware or rebellious. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) 12 For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Nevertheless, we are called to love. To love even our enemies!
Matthew 5:43-44 (KJV) 43 Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say
unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; If you're anything like me, your flesh cries out at this command. "What!
I'm supposed to love people who abuse me, hate me, gossip about me, steal from me, take advantage of me?"
Yes, that's exactly what Jesus said! He said that because it is the way we can show that we are just like our Heavenly
Father, who gives to those who are undeserving just because He is love! Matthew 5:45 (KJV) 45 That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on
the unjust. Matthew 5:45 kind of implies that we can't even be God's children unless we love those people who are against
us. We're supposed to love everybody, not just the people that love us! Matthew 5:46-47 (KJV) 46 For if ye love them which love you,
what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute
your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? If you think those word
are hard (and I do) just listen to the next verse! Matthew 5:48 (KJV) 48 Be
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. I was so glad to learn that
this word, "perfect," did not mean exactly what I thought it did. If you are a perfectionist, like I tend
to be (but asking God to move me from that trait), you probably have found that it's impossible to be perfect in the
sense of doing everything exactly right (or expecting others to do things exactly right). However, God wants us to
grow up. To be mature. That's what perfect means. He wants us to grow up in love to be just like our Heavenly
Father, who loves everybody, even those that put the nails in the hands and feet of His Son and pierced His side.
This love that God wants us to show others is not possible unless we know Him. It is He that commands us to love
and He that gives us a spirit of love! He's so loving that He won't command us to do anything that He will not equip
us to do! It's scary to love people who don't love you and may even have plans to try to
hurt you! But, God hasn't given us a spirit of fear; but of power. And of love. These are gifts from
God and they totally trump that spirit of fear that the devil tries to place in or on us! Now, here's the one I really hang on to! God has given us a sound mind!
I try not to say this out loud any more because it is negative and it is not the truth, according to God's Word. But,
I used to say, "I feel like I'm losing my mind." Don't we feel that way sometimes? Especially those
times we walk to a certain room and then stand there wondering why we walked in there, or what we planned to do when we
got in there? And what about when we lose something that we were just sure we had put in its proper place? Have
you ever been talking and, right in mid-stream, you lost your train of thought? How do you feel when someone has used
manipulation and control-tactics to try to convince you that you are worthless or to make you think something false
is really true? These sorts of things play with our mind! I wonder just who is trying to make us feel like
we don't have a sound mind? Can you venture a guess? One thing we can be sure of is this: it's not
God! God has given us a sound mind! What the words, "sound mind," actually mean is that we have a
disciplined mind and a God-ordained self-control over our own mind. We have a sober mind. We're straight
thinking people. Not because we're so good, but because God has given us a sound and disciplined mind! What a
gift! No more should we be in doubt, thinking that we do not have a sound mind! Or that we are losing our mind
(unless, of course, we are losing our own mind and gaining more of the mind of Christ). When God gives a gift,
He doesn't take it back. So, let's not trash the gift He has given us or fail to use it. We do not have
to fear that we are feeble-minded or losing our mind! God has not given us that spirit of fear because fear leads
to bondage and we are free in Christ. John 8:36 (KJV) 36 If the Son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed. We are no longer slaves to that spirit of fear! Romans 8:15 (KJV) 15 For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. God
has instead given us His power, His love, and His disciplined mind. To top it off, He has
given us the Spirit of adoption which enables us to have a powerful, loving, and sound relationship with Him totally
unafraid of anything because we know our Daddy is the One and only God! Can you hear your Daddy breathing over you? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 17, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE "BREATHS" FROM GOD - PART TWO Philippians 1:6 (KJV) I'm sure that you are just like me, in that you have certain moments
in your life that stick like glue. Things you can't forget. Philippians 1:6 (KJV) takes me back to a moment that I can't forget and I don't want to forget it. That's
because God breathed Philippians 1:6 over me through a minister of the gospel many years ago and I received that breath! I can't
say that I have never doubted a little bit as to whether God was really about the business of completing a good work
in me. Sometimes things in life made me feel as if maybe God had fallen asleep or forgotten that he started
the work! But, God is not like me! I often start something and then forget to finish it. And, I am
comforted by the fact that God never sleeps! Psalm 121:4 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. That's
God's Word to us this morning. God never sleeps! He never even nods off or takes an afternoon siesta or a Nazarene
Nap or kicks back in His Heavenly recliner to just "close His eyes for a minute!" Our God is awake and alert!
Have you ever fallen asleep at the wheel (figuratively) like I have? As you dozed a bit in your life, did you
forget about that good work that God has started in you? Or, in your daydreaming, did you wonder about
that good work that God started in you and mull over whether He was really still at work? Did it, or does
it right now, feel like He's not going to complete it? Do the circumstances in your life seem to be in exact
opposition to God completing a good work in you? I have felt like that at times. But, this much is so true - God
has not fallen asleep or forgotten the work He started in you and me! If we have forgotten or fallen into a dazed
state because of what life throws at us, we need to lift up our eyes. Not just to the hills, but way past
the hills! Our help comes from the Lord and, whether or not, we've missed the mark, dropped the ball, or run off the
road when we fell asleep, God will send His help when we wake up and look up! Check out Psalm 121:1-2 for yourself! Your help and my help comes from the Lord and He isn't sleeping, nor can He fail. He always
completes what He starts! He made us and He is able to keep us through every circumstance in life, constantly turning
everything to good, if our hearts are bent toward His. Because
God has started a good work in you and in me, He's going to do whatever He has to do to complete it. So, if you are
struggling this morning and feel kind of like nothing is working, remember God is working to complete the good
work He started in you! God is your keeper. He's not going to let you and me slip, fall, be moved, be shaken,
or waver! And it's all by His power. We don't have the power, in and of ourselves, to stand firm without
shaking when the enemy whispers, "There's no use to try. You can't make it." Maybe Satan has twisted
things a little and slipped in a lot of error with a tiny bit of truth. Maybe we could agree with him on this part.
"There's no use to try." Have you ever tried and tried to do something on your own and then remembered, "I
forgot to pray!" Then, you asked the Lord for help. He helped you! Our help does come from the Lord
and it's not by our own efforts that the good work that He began in us will be completed. It's not by our strength.
It's when we stop trying so hard in the natural and remember that His work will be completed in us, not by us. It
will be done completely by Him. That way, He will get all the glory just as He deserves! Zechariah 4:6 (KJV) 6 Then he answered and spake unto me,
saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD
of hosts. So many times in my life, I have had to acknowledge that things in my life are not going to
change by my might or by my power, but by God's Holy Spirit at work in me. That includes everything from
finding my lost car keys to getting through a time of grief or illness! Everything from the smallest thing to the
biggest problems in life! Today, do you need to sit down for a minute and remember that God started a good work in
you and that He's going to be complete by His Spirit and not your own strivings? I was just out in my back yard trying to get some of the "Spring," things done and it can get
very hot under the big Texas sun! Thank God, I have shelter in which to retreat and get refreshed. I came
in the house where it is cooler! Our lives are like that. All the while God is completing the good work He began
in us, we go through seasons. Some are very hot but He is the shade over us. He is that retreat where we can go
and be refreshed. Day and night things may come against us but our God will work day and night, without sleeping,
to keep us and preserve us until His good work in us is complete! Psalm 121:5-7 5
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The
sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve
thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. During every season of our lives, God will preserve
us from all evil when we are following Him. He will preserve our soul. He will preserve our mind, our emotions,
and our will (as He adjusts our will to His will). The work that God has started in you and me
is not only for this earth, although each of us has a specific purpose for being on this earth. The work is also
for eternity! The completed work will be done when we finally finish our work on the earth and go to our Heavenly
home. Thank God for Jesus. He made the way for you and me to go to Heaven, complete with His righteousness.
He made the way for us to go back to our loving Heavenly Father and feel His arms welcome us home just as the prodigal
son felt the arms of His father when He went back home. Right now, while God is working in you and me, He has asked
us to work out the salvation He so freely gave us. Philippians 2:12-13 (NKJV) 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you
have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good
pleasure. He didn't say it would be easy but He said He would do the
work if we would just believe and walk in faith. Are you walking in faith this morning? Faith that God has started
a good work in you? Faith that He will bring it to full completion? Do you have the faith to believe that He will
protect and preserve you all the while? Through the cold night and the hot day seasons? I want to encourage
you to believe it! No matter what your life looks like, or feels like, at the moment! God breathed
these Words to you and me so we would not give up or lose heart! Psalm 121:8 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and
thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Amen? We need to encourage one another
to be confident, trust in, and rely on the fact that God will never leave a job unfinished. Not in me and not in you! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 16, 2010 SOME OF MY FAVORITE "BREATHS" FROM GOD - PART 1 Romans 8:28 (KJV) Romans 8:28 is one of my favorite verses and it has been a life verse of mine ever since I can remember. All
of us go through difficult times at one time or another. When those times come, sometimes it's just plain hard
to get through them! I'm so thankful that I can know that all things work together for good! Of course,
there are conditions to this promise. There is a part for us to play. But, our part is not to worry about whether
we're going to make it through. Or, even how, or when, we're going to make it through. Philippians 4:6 (KJV) 6 Be careful for nothing; but in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
God will take care of all of that because He loves us so much. 1 Peter 5:7 7 Casting the whole of your care [all your
anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about
you watchfully. All we have to do is love God and do what He
has called us to do. As long as we are in the process of fulfilling His purpose, and not our own, there's
not a thing that can keep us down, hold us back, or bring destruction! There isn't anything we can't do if we truly love God and we are walking through life seeking to love Him more.
Seeking to find and fulfill His purpose for us within the great scheme of His perfect plans! It really isn't
that hard to do either if our perspective is properly aligned. We may have previously gotten it wrong and
made mistakes but, as I was just reminded in a great Bible Study, God is persistent. He will come to us and call us
back to Himself. He may even give us many chances to really hear Him and choose to do His will, although it's not
a good thing if we constantly ignore His voice. In fact, it's downright dangerous. Romans, Chapter One,
gives us a sad commentary on what happens when we ignore His voice. There is no one that has any excuse
for not acknowledging God. He says that He is even evident in nature! Romans 1:20 (KJV) 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse: For sure, every person is capable of knowing God is there by simply looking
at the order of His creation. Anyone and everyone can find Him clearly by just looking around at the things He created.
His Word says that we can all understand Him by looking at the flowers, the trees, the sky, the clouds, the
ocean, etc. According to His Word, no one has an excuse for not acknowledging Him. Yet, some people refuse
to acknowledge Him. How would you feel, as a parent, if you walked in the room where your children were playing and
they acted as though you were not even there? What if you were the Chairman of the Board of a large corporation
speaking in a Board Meeting and everyone totally ignored you? How bad is it when God, our Father, wants to pour out
His blessings on human beings and some refuse to receive them and even through them back in His face? When people refuse to acknowledge God and His good plans for them, they start
on a downward spiral. Most do not feel themselves being pulled down, but they are. Check it out by reading
for yourself, Romans 1:16-32 So, when God calls us, the best thing to do is answer quickly and obey. He may not call us to do something
that seems logical by this world's standards but it will always fit into the boundaries and standards of His Word.
In these last days, we need to be full of God's Word. We need to study for ourselves and pray to God for the revelation
of His plan for our lives in accordance with His purpose and love Him enough to walk in it. There are people
out there who are ready to deceive us by speaking subtle lies and making it sound like God's Word. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV) 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from
the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking
lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; How does this happen? I
would think that it happens because people have not submerged themselves in God's Word and found in it a personal relationship
with Jesus. They have not chosen to participate in His plan and live their lives according to His purpose. A
result is that their conscience is now seared. Not operable any more. They do not feel pain when they cause
pain to others. They are no longer sensitive to God or others. They may speak scripture, but then, so did the Devil
and he still does! Getting back to Romans 8:28, we do not have to go on that downward spiral described in Romans 1. We don't have to be subject to having a seared conscience or be duped by someone who does. God lets us know
in His Word that all things are going to turn out for the good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose.
He didn't say that everything would feel good, just that it would turn out for good. He reiterates that many
places in the scripture. If you are in a place that is difficult right now, remind yourself of Romans 8:28 and speak Romans 8:28 out into the atmosphere. God is doing a work in you to conform you to the image of His Son! There could
be nothing better than that! Yes, there will be hurts but, if we walk according to God's purpose in love, we will be
all right. He will make a way for us where there seems to be no way and it will be in His perfect timing. You
see, His plans for you and me are good! Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. All of God's plans for us are positive.
He wants to take care of us. He has promised not to abandon us. He wants to give us a good future. To let
His peace flow in us and through us. All we need to do is love Him and participate in His plans, walking in obedience
to what He has called us to do! Let's not be like those on the downward spiral or those who have let their consciences seared!
Why do that when our Father is so willing to fill our lives with Himself, with His good plans and His peace and joy?
Nothing happens to you and me by chance! God is in control of it all and when He says all things will
work together for good, all things will work together for good! We can count on
it! He breathed this Word to us! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 15, 2010 2 Timothy 3:16 (AMP)
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR AIR? There is a worship song that has been on my heart. It's simply called, "Breathe."
Maybe it's time to be quiet for a while and take a deep breath! This morning we might want to think about where we
get our air. That's what the song talks about. It is a prayer to God that we might want to consider praying
this morning and every morning. It is only by God's new mercies that we are alive for another day. Lamentations 3;22-23 (KJV) 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies
that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every
morning: great is thy faithfulness. We are so fragile, as human beings, that
if we didn't have air for a matter of just a very few minutes, we would die. The songwriter says to the Lord, "This
is the air I breathe." He goes on to say, "Your holy presence living in me." Is
that the air that you breathe? Are we constantly aware of His holy presence living in us? The song continues, "This is my daily bread." What
bread can we not do without? It's the bread from Heaven. Matthew 4:4 (KJV) 4 But he answered and said, It
is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The
Word of God. God has breathed His Word out for us in the scriptures. All of scripture is inspired of God (which
really means, God-breathed). It is our food, as well as our air. The lyrics to this worship song go on to say,
"Your very Word spoken to me." What a privilege we, as human beings - sinful human beings, at that
- have. God has used His own breath to speak His very Word to each of us through the scriptures! Where are
you getting your air this morning? Of course, you are breathing in the air from the physical atmosphere but, are you
breathing in spiritual air? The lyrics continue on in the prayer declaring, "I'm desperate for you."
Psalm 42:1 (KJV) 1 As the hart panteth after the
water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Just as our physical bodies would gasp if we
were denied air to breathe, so our spirits gasp and begin to die if we don't take in the air of God's Word, spoken to us.
The song ends with the writer finally saying, in prayer, "I'm lost without You." Matthew 16:26 (KJV) 26 For what is a man profited,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? It's a very simple song with few words, but it's so true! Without God's "breathed" Word to us we're
lost. We have no spiritual life! I was also
thinking of another hymn as I thought of the worship song that I just spoke of. The hymn is, "Breathe on Me Breath
of God." The text from this song was written by Edwin Hatch somewhere between 1835 and 1889. We humans
have known for a long time that we needed spiritual, "air." The words are, again, a prayer, asking God
to breathe on the one praying, filling him with new life so that he might love what Jesus loves and do what Jesus would
do. The request is made for God to breath on him until his heart is pure and his will is one with God's will. Going
on he asks God to breath on him until he totally belongs to God causing him to glow with divine fire.
Finally, the one praying asks God to breathe on him so that he might never die but live a perfect life with God throughout
eternity. The writer of these lyrics knows that his air has to come from the very breath of God. This is
the only air that can give us life in this world and forever! The world is searching for this air in
all the wrong places. Britney Spears sings a song entitled, "Breathe On Me." The idea is right,
but God should be the focus, not another person. The singer is asking her lover to just breathe on her. Not to
touch her, just breathe on her. Today, God is letting us know that all we need is the air of His breathe,
His presence, His Word. Where do you get your air? Without God's breath on us, we would soon spiritually die.
But, He has poured out His breathe through His Word so we can live forever. Let's breathe it in deeply and
live! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 14, 2010 AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH Psalm 104:33 (KJV) 33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will
sing praise to my God while I have my being. Do you have a tendency to get anxious sometimes? At times, I do get anxious. Sometimes
I don't even realize it. If you asked me if I was anxious, I would probably say, "No." However our
breathing reveals the truth about whether or not we are really anxious. It is quite normal for our breath to become more
rapid when we feel anxiety. It also becomes more shallow. We may not even notice that our breathing
pattern has changed. I just read that when we continue to breathe in a shallow and rapid way, our feeling
of fear will increase. But, we need to breathe deeply because God has not given us a spirit of fear! 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) 7 For God hath not given us the
spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. It is interesting
to note that, when we learn to sing, one of the first things we are taught is how to breathe correctly. When
we take in a breath, our shoulders should remain level. They should not rise. Instead, think of pushing your
abdomen out slightly and letting the breath go down deeply. Without deliberately holding your breath, try pushing
your abdomen out. You'll probably find that you automatically take in a breath. As you concentrate on this deep
breathing, the breath will move up into the middle part of your body and then fill your chest area. Now, you have
a good breath! A breath that will enable you to begin singing properly. I just learned that, besides being invigorating, breathing deeply also exercises muscles and helps tone
our digestive systems (Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations) God is so good. He doesn't just tell us
to sing for the sake of singing. Singing, when you are breathing correctly, is contributing to your good health!
The next time you feel yourself become tense, agitated, or fearful, just take in one of these deep, deep breaths.
Take a few slow and deep breaths and you'll find that you are beginning to relax! While you're taking in those, "singing
breaths," begin to sing some praise to the Lord. Whatever is agitating, threatening, or worrying you, will have
to stop because God will inhabit the praises that flow out on your breath. Try replacing the word, "Israel,"
with your name in the following verse: Psalm 22:3 (KJV) 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest
the praises of Israel. Yes! God sits down and dwells in the praise we sing to Him! Our
praises become His throne, so to speak! Negative things cannot exist in the presence of
God. The devil cannot handle it when we praise God, so he has to leave for a while! It's interesting that the way we breathe will affect our energy, our sense of well being, our general
health, how well we feel and how well we think! No wonder God wants us to sing praises! We need to breathe deeply
to do that. It blesses Him, but we (as usual) get the greater blessing! Who doesn't want more energy?
I, for sure want a sense of well-being! Everyone wants to feel good and walk in divine health. And, well, the
ability to think in a focused manner and be mentally alert is paramount to a good life. Sounds to me like God
gave us breath so we could use that breath to sing to Him. Sounds like much of what we might think of as,
"abundant life," can be linked back to our breath and what we do with it! Here is another translation
of Psalm 104:33 33 I will sing to the LORD throughout my life.
I will make music to praise my God as long as I live. It may be translated that way because two different
Hebrew words for, "sing," are used in this verse. The first time, "sing," is used, it has the
idea of, "strolling minstrels." I wonder if that is because the Lord would have us go srolling joyfully through
our day singing songs, hymns and spiritual songs to one another? Colossians 3:16 (KJV) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace
in your hearts to the Lord. The second time, "sing," is mentioned in Psalm 104:33, the meaning of the Hebrew word is to play on musical instruments, accompanied by the voice.
It is a word having to do with celebration and praise. The Psalmist (according to the writer of The Message)
is happy to be singing to the Lord and greatly desires that the Lord would be pleased with his song. Psalm 104:34 (MSG) 34 Oh, let my song please him;
I'm so pleased to be singing to GOD. Is it our great desire to use our breath to sing to the Lord
and sing something that pleases Him? I will tell you a secret. When I am depressed or feeling sick, the
last thing I want to do is sing. That's the enemy putting those thoughts into my head because he knows I am
weak. He knows that if he can take away my song of praise, my breathing will become shallow, I will be sick, I will
not think correctly, and if I don't renew my mind through God's Word, I will be doomed. That's just what Satan wants
to happen to me and to you! One very effective way to handle all of that oppression is to do just what the Psalmist
said he was going to do. Psalm 104:33 (NLT) 33 I will sing to the LORD as long
as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! Will we choose to sing to the Lord as long as we live
and will our last breath be used to praise the One who gave us breath? I think I'd better start practicing praise
right now! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 13, 2010 Psalms 104:29 (KJV) If God should hide His face from us, we would be troubled. We'd be more than troubled, according
to the meanings of the Hebrew word. We'd be trembling inwardly (maybe even having heart palpitations). We would
be suddenly alarmed and agitated. We would probably fidget anxiously. We would be afraid, amazed, dismayed,
and we might do some rash things. We'd be vexed! That's pretty bad! Really bad - and not a good place
to be. But, worse than that, is death. That's what would happen if God were to take away our breath.
He is perfectly capable of doing that! When our purpose here on earth is fulfilled, God will take our breath away
in one way or another. At that time, this earthly tent will begin to decompose and return to the dust from which
God made us. There are a lot of arrogant people running around the earth today who think they don't need God.
They don't acknowledge the fact that every breath we breathe comes from the life He breathed into us. Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 7 And the LORD God formed man of
the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. How
sad to think that a person could go through his or her whole life disregarding the fact that God is in full control of their
every breath! How sad that some people don't remember that they are but dust balls if they don't have breath!
That comes from rebellion and ignorance. However, those of us who have given our lives to Christ can use the breath
He has breathed into us to help tell those that are lost that God loves them and that He has made a way, through Jesus, for
them to humble themselves and realize that, "Father knows best." Perhaps then, they will realize
what a gift they possess and give their lives to the Giver of that gift. Elihu got it right when he said: 4 The Spirit of God
hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. (Job 33:4 - KJV) Elihu, one of Job's so-called friends had that right even though
he did not really have much Godly wisdom or sensitivity when he spoke to Job. If I were to take a poll on the street,
asking people where their breath came from, I wonder just how many would respond, "From God." Of course,
I've never done that, but I'm pretty sure I would get mostly attempts at scientific answers or, "I don't know's."
Elihu was also right about the following: Job 34:14-15 (KJV) 14 If he set his heart upon man,
if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; 15 All flesh shall perish
together, and man shall turn again unto dust. One writer interpreted this verse to say that, if God
should hold His breath, all men, women, and children on earth would die for lack of air. That's ultimate control!
And it all comes through the breath of God! Do you wonder why it's so hard for some people to believe when the scriptures
are so clear about just how frail, as humanity, we are and how dependent we are upon God right down to each and every
breath? Daniel, speaking to Belshazzar, the King of Babylon,
said this: 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought
the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and
thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and
the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: (Daniel 5:23 - KJV) Look how Daniel reminds the King that he has not glorified God, even though
God controls his breath and all of his ways! Belshazzar had not humbled himself. (Daniel 5:22) God had sent a hand to write on the wall at a party Belshazzar was having. Belshazzar did not know what the
writing meant and neither did all of his magicians. But, Daniel, who was fully committed to God, was given the interpretation. God,
through, "the writing on the wall," had said that He had numbered the days of Belshazzar's reign. Why?
Because Belshazzar had been weighed and found wanting. He did not measure up to God's standards. We can see
one way in which Belshazzar did not measure up. He did not acknowledge God, nor did he acknowledge that his every breath
was dependent upon God's grace and mercy. When we fully realize that, it is a humbling experience and it will bring
us to a place where God can really work in and through us so that our breath is used to glorify the Giver of the breath!
Belshazzar lost his kingdom to the Medes and the Persians. If we fail to acknowledge that our Father is in full
control of every breath we take, we stand in danger of running amuck. If we don't remind ourselves often that we would
not even have breath if God did not give it to us, we might not walk in the blessing that God really wants to give
us. The truth is that we must depend on God for the breath of life. That might sound as if God is too controlling
but, when I think that God has better plans for me than I could think of for myself, I'm glad to depend on God for each
breath and to thank Him for each one. I still have a way to go in learning to use all of my breath to glorify Him but
I'm sure, by the truth of His Word, that He has given breath to me and, also, that He can take it away! My life
is in His hands. So is yours. Even if you don't believe it! But, those of us who do believe it will
remember to use our breath wisely to glorify God and uplift others. We never know when He is going to take our
breath away. If He took it away right now, would we be able to tell Him honestly that we used what He breath
he had given us wisely? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 12, 2010 SING TO
THE LORD - OR........ Psalm 149:1 1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a
new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Lately, I have been focused on what it means to have breath. What a gift from God! It causes
us to have life and it enables us to follow His command to sing to Him! God loves to hear us use the breath He gave
us to sing back to Him. Everyone's voice is unique and He loves to hear them all! Each of our voices is created
differently. Just like our fingerprints, no one shares the exact same voice! That, in itself, should speak to
us of our Father's magnificent power and creativity! In very many places in scripture, God talks about singing and
how His children should sing to Him. Here in Psalm 149:1, we are told to sing a new, fresh song to the Lord and to sing His praise when we are assembled together
as believers. Some of us get very content to just sing the old songs. The old songs are good because, once,
they were fresh and new; but God wants to hear something current. After all, He isn't doing the "same old, same
old" in our lives! His mercies are new every morning. If you haven't noticed, He's always showing up in
different places and in different ways. Each day is a day of excitement for the child of God. God is always
doing a new thing! Isaiah 43:19 (KJV) 19 Behold, I will do a new thing;
now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Yes! God is doing, and will continue to do, new things in our lives. Things will spring forth
surprisingly; and, it is no wonder that He wants us to use our breath to sing a new song to Him. A song of praise for
all the many blessings He has given us! He wants us to rejoice
in Him. Look at Psalm 149:2. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be
joyful in their King. When was the last time we just opened our mouth spontaneously and rejoiced in
the Lord joyfully? Let me change this verse to make it personal. Let Beatrice rejoice in Him that made her:
let Beatrice, and all believers, be joyful in their King. Now you can change it and put your own
name in. As you use your breath to speak it out, your enemy, the devil, will have to flee. As the song says,
"In the name of Jesus, we have the victory. In the name of Jesus Satan will have to flee." It
is God's desire that we praise Him with our breath and with our whole body! Psalm 149:5 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with
the timbrel and harp. He wants to hear us sing, no matter what we may think about our
own voice. He wants us to dance with joy for Him. He wants us to play musical instruments for him, even
if it is only a tambourine! God takes pleasure in you and me. He took pleasure in that first lump of clay that
He formed into a man. He took so much pleasure that He breathed His own breath of life into that man. He has
continued to breath His breath into each and every human being since that time. What we do with that breath is up to
us. It takes breath to sing and dance and play instruments. Are we willing to use the breath He gave us to do
that? God takes pleasure in His children, especially when we take pleasure in Him! Psalm 149:4 4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with
salvation. Therefore, let's do what Psalm 149:5 says: 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud
upon their beds. So, when was the last time you were found to be singing loudly in your bed?
I will admit that I need more practice in doing that! When was the last time you jumped for joy in the weight and
splendor of His glory? Our circumstances may not give us much reason to sing on our beds or jump for joy, but
the presence of God and His salvation are good reasons to use our breath to sing and to jump! Maybe you're not convinced yet that you can sing to God and that He will love to hear your voice.
Maybe this world's definition of a good singing voice has hampered your ability to try to sing. However, everyone is
able to shout! It takes a lot of breath to shout. So, if you're not too keen on using your breath to break
out in song just yet, start out with a shout to the Lord! Psalm 32:11 (KJV) 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice,
ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. You can be glad because of what the Lord
has done for you. You can rejoice because He has given you His righteousness. You can shout
for joy because God has changed your stony heart to an upright heart of flesh! Every one of us can make a noise.
Because the Lord is our Redeemer, our noise should be joyful. So, why not just break forth with a joyful
noise to the Lord? This is perfectly acceptable. It is even commanded in many places in the book of Psalms.
Psalm 66:1 (KJV) 1 Make a joyful noise unto God,
all ye lands: and, Psalm 81:1 (KJV) 1 Sing aloud unto God our strength:
make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Yes! Yes! Make a loud, joyful noise to God
who strengthens you to do what you need to do here on the earth. Psalm 95:1 (KJV) 1 O come, let us sing unto the
LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Because Jesus is our Rock, even the
Cornerstone, we have something about which to make a joyful noise! Because He allows us into His presence, we
have reason to make a very joyful noise! Psalm 95:2 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. There are so many more places to cite in the scriptures
that tell us to sing praise to the Lord. And, if you just can't bring yourself to sing, try letting out
a shout of joy. Or, at the very least, you can just make a joyful noise! God just wants us to use our breath
to praise Him. When it comes right down to it, and we are obedient to bless God, He returns it exponentially to us.
We find ourselves becoming more joyful (and making more noise)! So, sing to the Lord! Or.......just make a joyful
noise! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 11, 2010 DO YOU HAVE BREATH? Acts 17:24-25 (KJV) Do you have breath? Of course you do! If
you are reading this, you are alive. Life is absent when no breath is present! Because you are alive this
morning, 1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament
of his power. (Psalm 150:1) Just what does it mean to praise? The Hebrew word used here for, "praise,"
may surprise some of us. Especially those of us who may prefer quiet worship. First of all, it comes from
the root word, "Hallelujah!" To exclaim, "Hallelujah," is to offer an adoring expression of praise
to the Lord God. But, praise also denotes a lot of other things, including celebrate,
glory, sing (praise), and boast. One of the meanings is to, "make a show." If we believe God
is Who He is, there's something inside of us that will desire to make a show of that! To make Him known to all those
around us by celebrating Him, bringing Him glory, singing His praises, and boasting of all that He has done for us.
Part of the meaning of this word is "to be clamorously foolish or to rave." This is not in a bad sense, but
just to be so filled with the wonder of His love and His joy that we can't be quiet about it! There are lots of reasons that we should praise God, including
the following: 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent
greatness. (Psalm 150:2) We can and should praise God for His power, His strength, His
force, and His victory in our lives! We can and should praise Him for His abundant and excellent greatness. His
greatness is unequaled. Now, that's reason to jump up and make a show of all that He has done in our lives by His
magnificent greatness! There are also lots of ways in which we can praise God. 3 Praise
him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. (Psalm 150:3) Several years ago, I visited a church where one of the parishioners
whispered quietly, and with great disdain, to me, "We had a man here once that played the trumpet!" She was
sure that the church was going to be judged and that the man was headed for Hell. To her, it was a shame that the
church had let a man come in and play praises to God on the trumpet. Do we sometimes forget to check God's Word
before making judgments about what should or should not be done in the way of praise in our congregations? Do our
personal preferences sometimes get in the way of others' freedom to be clamorously foolish or rave about what God has done
for them? Praise with the lute and the harp, on the other hand, is softer. But, it is still directed toward
and boastful about our God. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed
instruments and organs. (Psalm 150:4) Right about here, God is going to step on some people's toes.
Playing the trumpet was pretty much on the cutting edge; but now the Psalmist includes dance, reed instruments, and
drums! Now, that's what I call a celebration! And lest we think that's a bit too much, God adds more! 5
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. (Psalm 150:5) This means a loud clatter or clanging.
Something that proclaims joy or a war-cry. When we praise God, we are expressing our joy but we are also doing
spiritual warfare. The enemy runs when he hears the "war-cry," of the praise of God's children!
No matter what you or I like or think of all that, God said it! I
am writing on the assumption that you do have breath! What do we do with our breath? Do we use it to complain
about others or our situations in life, ultimately revealing that we do not trust that God is in charge and that He has
good plans for us, if we will obey Him and trust Him? Do we use our breath to scream obscenities at drivers who do
not please us on the road? Do we use our breath to take God's name in vain? Some may use their breath to
use crude language. Others may use it to gossip. We might use it to sing worldly songs that create an atmosphere
of temptation to sin. Or, we might use our breath to create death in the atmosphere instead of life. We sometimes
use our breath to cheer wildly for our favorite sports team or scream "bravo," for our favorite opera star. Rappers
use their breath to rap. Sometimes it's glorifying to God and sometimes it's not. Singers of every shape and
kind use their breath to send messages to their listeners. Why can we use our breath to scream at sports events and sing
words that incite violence and temptation when we do not use our breath to praise the Lord? Why do we use our breath
to bring glory to ourselves and hurt to others when we should be using all of it to glorify God and edify others?
Do you have breath? Of course you do. Now, here's what God says you and I should do with that breath. 6
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 150:6) I guess the question is whether you and I are willing to be as clamorously
foolish about God as we are about the things of this world? The Psalmist ends Psalm 150 with these words. "Praise the Lord." Those are my final words to myself and to you this morning.
If we have breath, then let us use it to "Praise the Lord." MORNING MANNA - APRIL 10, 2010 CAN YOU SPEAK IF YOU HAVE NO BREATH? Genesis 1:3 (KJV) I am not a scientist and I have not researched this but, it seems to me, that one cannot speak if one has
no breath! Being a singer, I do know that singing, as well as speaking, takes lots of energy. It requires us
to force the breath out of our lungs. Our breath becomes the vehicle on which our words ride. So, I am going
back to the very beginning when God began to make order in the world and create things by His Word. God, "said."
Unless God used His breath to say, "Let there be light," there would be no light! I'm thinking about a saying
I used to hear a lot that went something like this: "Save your breath." It was used when someone was
trying to convince someone else of something and that person was refusing to listen. In other words, "Don't bother
to speak any more, you're not getting anywhere." That saying implies that breath has to be expelled for a person
to speak! Breath is necessary for speech. Of course, we all know that breath is necessary for life. Some
of us have experienced illnesses or attacks where we could not breathe. Those of us who have gone through that
know how vitally important breath is for survival. Most of us take breathing for granted. It's true that it
is involuntary but, believe me, when it is compromised by something, it becomes painfully voluntary! We struggle to
keep that ability and to go on living. Yes! Breath is important! It is a gift from God.
It can be taken away in the twinkling of an eye! If nothing else, this morning, let's take time to thank God for each
breath He has given us. Job's, "friend," Elihu, didn't get much right in his discourse to Job; but he did
get this one thing exactly right. It was true for him and it is true for you and me. Job 33:4 (KJV) 4 The Spirit of God hath made me,
and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. It's true, isn't it? God has given us the
breath of life. It doesn't matter whether we believe that or not. It's the truth. What a gift! What
a responsibility to use that breath to glorify the One who gave it to us! God created light and all the other things in the world. Then He created man out of the dust of the
earth. And then, an amazing thing happened. That lifeless form, made out of clay, came to life! How
did that happen? Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 7 And the LORD God formed man of
the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Wow!
God breathed His own breath into man and the clay began to live. God could have created man and left him as a
clay form but He didn't. A word used to describe, "breathe," in Genesis 2:7 is, "inflate." Man was lifeless and then God inflated him with His own breath!
He is the God of life and He wanted life for His creation! God gave His own breath to you and me so that we would have
the opportunity to make a choice. He wants us to have life to the fullest and use His breath wisely. However.....in
addition to breath, He gave us the opportunity to choose what to do with that breath! Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV) 19 I call heaven and earth to record
this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou
and thy seed may live: Today, I am in tears thinking about the depth of this statement. Almighty
God could have just played in the dirt that He had made and formed lifeless clay dolls. Being God, it would have
made a very pretty and orderly picture. However, He wanted to be able to commune with His creation. He wanted
relationship with us. He wanted freedom for each one. So, He gave us His breath and we lived! Acts 17:28 (KJV) 28 For in him we live, and move,
and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. That's
still how each and every one of us live today. The atheist, the agnostic, the Buddhist and every other human
being. But, as Christ-followers, we have made the choice to acknowledge that we only live by the power of the
breath of God in us. Now, we have the choice to use that breath to tell others about the Lord and His life-giving
breath. To tell others of how He sent His Word (which is ultimately His breath) to save us from the poor choices
we have made. To offer us life once again. Even abundant life! John 10:10 (KJV) 10 The thief cometh not, but for
to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. God has not ceased to use His breath to speak
since He began His creation. As we read His Word, we find newness of life. New breath, if you will. Notice
the following verse. 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) 16 All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: Right
about now, you may be thinking, "She has lost her focus." "What does 2 Timothy 3:16 have to do with God speaking or with me speaking?" Well, I was reminded of how it applies
just today. I was reminded that, "inspiration of God," means, "divinely breathed." All scripture
is divinely breathed by God. When we continue to read it over and over, He continues to breathe His breath into us,
giving us life and strength, hope and comfort, healing and purpose! And more! As we meditate upon it, it is like
breathing deeper and deeper, receiving refreshing and revival. As we fill our spiritual lungs, we are more and
more able to open our mouths and speak His Word to others! God surely will let the cup of our lungs fill to overflowing!
Psalm 23:5 (KJV) 5 Thou preparest a table before
me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Think
of the breath that we will have when our lungs are overflowing with His breath! What happens when we breathe physically?
We have to empty out the breath we have and take in a new fresh breath. When we have used all the breath that
God has placed in our spiritual lungs to praise Him and to encourage others, it's time to take in another breath!
More of God's Word, more prayer and communion with Him. Then we're ready to go again! Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he
might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy
and without blemish. Once again, you're possibly saying, "Why did she use that verse?"
I will tell you. I was just thinking that Jesus is telling us here that He is preparing His Church to be set apart
and perfect, without any defects. How is He doing that? By the washing of water by the Word! What is the
Word of God? It is Him using His breath to speak to us, pouring His life into us so that we become more and more like
Him! Can you speak without breath? Can you live without breath? I don't think so! But, God has given
us the breath of life with His own breath! Now, what are we going to do with this marvelous gift? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 9, 2010 LET'S NOT STILL BE DOUBTING! Matthew 28:17 (KJV)17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. Can you imagine that, after Jesus told the disciples
that He would meet them in Galilee, when they actually saw Him there, some still doubted?
Matthew 28:16 (KJV) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where
Jesus had appointed them. Jesus had even told the disciples before He died that, after He was raised,
He would go to Galilee and meet them there! Matthew 26:31-32 (NKJV) 31 Then Jesus said to them, "All
of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of
the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I have been raised, I will go before
you to Galilee." He even sent a message to them after He rose from the dead. Matthew 28:7-8 (ASV) 7 And go quickly, and tell his
disciples, He is risen from the dead; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring
his disciples word. When the women had gone to the tomb to tend to Jesus's dead body, they were
surprised by an angel who told them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus was alive and that He would meet
them in Galilee. So, the disciples had been told before and after Jesus died and rose again that He would meet them
in Galilee. At least they had enough faith to go there! When they did, they saw Him and worshipped Him.
But, the very sad thing is that some doubted! Still! Despite
the fact that some still doubted, Jesus spoke to them, telling them that all power in Heaven and earth belonged to Him. Matthew 28:18 (KJV) 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. He had already given them a taste of His
power before He died. At least seventy of them knew that they had authority over all the power of the enemy.
Luke 10:29-20 (NKJV) 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample
on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names
are written in heaven." I wonder how many of us, who are believers, realize just how
much power flows from us because we belong to Jesus. Mark 16:17-18 (KJV) 17 And these signs shall follow
them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover. I don't know about you, but I want to see these signs working through
my life by the power of Jesus! When we receive that power, we are able to help others. But, like Jesus said,
the best thing is that our names are written in the Heaven! As
Jesus stood there with the disciples, some of which may have still been doubting, He gave them instructions. Matthew 28:19 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen. He told them to go and teach all nations. To baptize them. They were to teach
these people to follow everything that Jesus had commanded the disciples (and us). I have to say that the next
part of this verse is one of my favorite parts of the scripture. Jesus says, "....lo, I am with you alway; even
unto the end of the world. Amen." Today you and I have the opportunity to go and teach all nations. Travel
is fast and available to most of us. Technology allows us to send His Word all over the world by Internet, radio and
television! The opportunities we have are amazing. Right now, I am on a plane headed home from having
the privilege to help minister at an Easter Service, half way across the country. I used to be deathly afraid of planes. When
I was a small child, I saw one crash about three blocks away from my home. It crashed into an oil field.
I was traumatized! It wasn't until at least twenty-five years later that I would even go near a plane, even in
a museum! Today I am flying high knowing that Jesus said, ".......lo, I am with you always, even unto the end
of the age." I count on that! I am comforted by that. I hope you are too. Then, He said, "Amen."
That settles it! He meant what He said and He's not going to change His mind. So, even though it looks
like I am flying alone, I am not. Jesus is with me. He lives in my heart and He will never leave me.
It's the same for you, if you have received Him as your Savior. There is no need of any of us to still be in doubt!
Here's what Jesus said. Matthew 21:21-22 (KJV) 21 Jesus answered and said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also
if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Jesus said,
if we have faith and do not doubt, we will be able to move mountains and receive what we believe when we ask in prayer.
That's a strong statement! It's time to remove all doubt and replace it with faith! Our Savior lives within
us and He works through us when we exercise our faith. He's the same as He was then. Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever. No doubt about it! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 8, 2010 BELIEVE! John 20:27 (NLT) The disciple, Thomas, was not with the
others when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. I wonder where he was? Maybe he had already given
up on Jesus. Maybe he had other priorities than being with his fellow-believers. Maybe he even had a legitimate
cause for not being gathered together with the others when Jesus made His appearance among them. Whatever the
cause was, he was not there and he did not see what they saw. John 20:24 (NLT) 24 One of the disciples, Thomas
(nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. No, he did not see, with his own eyes,
what they saw. But, they told him Who they saw. John 20:25 (NLT) 25 They told him, “We have
seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers
into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” Thomas would have none of that!
He had to see with his own eyes before he would believe. Thomas
was so faithless that he insisted that he would not believe unless he saw the nail prints in the hands of Jesus!
He was not even going to be satisfied with that! He wouldn't believe unless he could put his fingers into those pierced
hands and put his hand into the wound in Jesus's side! Thomas had apparently not yet learned that it was time
to live by faith! Romans 1:17 (KJV) 17 For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. That is something
that we all have to learn and it is a process in which Thomas had not even made a dent! As we exercise our faith,
it grows! We go from one level of faith to another level of faith as we learn to walk by faith. Thomas was
an infant. He had not yet even started to learn to walk by faith. Just like infants learn to physically
walk by trying and doing it over and over again, we all have to learn to walk by faith. Are we still like Thomas or
have we grown to other higher levels of faith? Our Lord is very patient with us. He gives us time to process
His Word and to meditate on it. He gave Thomas eight days to think about what the other disciples had told him.
Then, it happened! John 20:26 (KJV) 26 And after eight days again his
disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace
be unto you. This time, Thomas was with the others and Jesus, without coming through the door,
was suddenly standing in their midst! When we are gathered together with other believers, the Lord is in our midst
too, even though we can't see Him with our eyes. Matthew 18:20 (KJV) 20 For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. How wonderfully awesome is that? Jesus is
standing in the midst of us when we gather together! Here
is another instance of Jesus meeting each of us personally right where we are! The others believed, for the moment,
that Jesus was really alive. They had already seen Him, some more than once. But, Thomas had never seen Him.
So, He gave Thomas the opportunity to see Him. Being all God, Jesus knew what Thomas had said about putting his
fingers in the holes in His hands and his hand in the wound in His side! Can you imagine the startled look on
Thomas's face when Jesus stood there and told Thomas to do just that? John 20:27 (NLT) 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put
your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Jesus knows exactly where to meet you and me today and He is willing to do it! He knows how skilled
we are at walking by faith and He will enter the picture and help us exercise our faith so we can move ahead and upward to
new levels. He did it for Thomas and He'll do it for us. Once He does step into the picture, He has some words
for us just like He had for Thomas. He urges us to stop being faithless. He firmly nudges us to - believe.
What does it mean to believe? In part, it means to be trustworthy with what Jesus has taught us. It means
to be faithful to Him. Being faithful and believing means that we trust Him and we believe what He says so much that
we share it with others around us who may be like Thomas. Others who haven't really started to walk the walk
of faith. It means to be so sure of Jesus that we allow Him full sway over our lives and agendas. Might
I say that, when we do that, we will many times find that His ideas are different than ours. There will be exercises
in faith that require the stamina to keep going before we see the good in the situation. That happens when we
exercise our bodies too. As they say, "no pain, no gain." Sometimes it hurts to get stronger.
We may even feel weaker before we become stronger. But, all the while, even when Jesus changes our agenda
for ourselves, we are, as the song says, "learning to lean." "Learning to lean on Jesus."
We are exercising trust in Him and, no matter what we feel like, we are growing in faith! If you are in a time of
rigorous spiritual exercise right now and tempted to doubt, like Thomas, was, don't give up! Do what Jesus told Thomas
to do. Stop being faithless and believe! Thomas saw and touched. Then He believed. Jesus has
promised a blessing on those of us who will not see with our physical eyes but still believe! Will we be among
those who receive that special blessing? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 7, 2010 JESUS SAYS, "PEACE BE WITH YOU" Luke 24:36 (NLT) If you have been reading along in the, "Morning
Manna," you know that we just talked about how Jesus meets us right where we are and meets each of our individual
needs as He speaks into and moves in our lives, revealing more and more of the wonderful Savior that He is. It seems
that, when two dejected Emmaus Road travelers got a revelation of who Jesus was and the knowledge that He really was alive,
they had the strength to run back to Jerusalem to tell the good news to the other disciples of Jesus.
Lo and behold! When they got there, the others had received their own personal revelations from Jesus! I
can imagine the whopping and hollering going on in that praise and worship service when they all came in with their
own testimonies of how Jesus had met them! Right in the
middle of their celebration, we have another scriptural, "suddenly!" Luke 24:36 (NLT) 36 And just as they were telling
about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Don't
you know that when we get together, as believers, Jesus still shows up. He inhabits the praises of His people!
No wonder we are told not to neglect getting together to lift Him up and share with each other. But,
when He appeared, even after He said, "Peace be with you," the whole group was afraid. They thought they
saw a ghost! Luke 24:37 (NLT) 37 But the whole group was startled
and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! If we are willing to allow Jesus to appear, by His
Holy Spirit, in our church meetings, do we become afraid when our plans and agenda are interrupted and He begins to
speak? When our order of service is disrupted by His Spirit, are we so afraid of His movement among us that we quench
His Spirit? Well, as the disciples sat quivering in fear,
even after Jesus pronounced His peace upon them, He asked them, "Why are you frightened?" I am wondering
why they were frightened too, since the two Emmaus Road walkers had already seen Him and so had Peter. Maybe
some of the others had too! At any rate, Jesus continued on asking hard questions like, Luke 24:38 (NLT) 38 “Why are you frightened?”
he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Is Jesus still asking that question of us today?
Do we let the troubles of life cloud our vision of Him and cause us to be afraid? At that time, Jesus let them all
look at His hands and feet which were probably still nail-scarred. And, still, they stood there unable to believe
what they were seeing. Today, we have the scripture and the Holy Spirit to help us see Jesus by faith. Later
on, Jesus would say this to His disciples: John 20:29 (NLT) ........ “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those
who believe without seeing me.” You and I have not had the opportunity to see Jesus in
the flesh like the early disciples did. But, we do have His Word and His Spirit by which we are able to believe.
We are among those who are blessed because we have not seen Him in the flesh, but we believe. We live by
faith just like Abraham did. Abraham could not see into the future to see Jesus come to earth as a man but Abraham
had faith. The Bible says it was counted as righteousness. Today, you and I live by faith. We have life
by faith in the risen Christ, the Son of the living God. Romans 1:17 (NLT) 7 This Good News tells us how God
makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through
faith that a righteous person has life.” And, as we live lives centered in the Savior, He
still says, "Peace to you." John 14:27 (AMP) 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own]
peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither
let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and
intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] This morning, may that peace that Jesus left with us rise up
in you and help you to live this day without being agitated and disturbed, fearful or unsettled. Peace be to you! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 6, 2010 LET'S GET TOGETHER! Luke 24:33-34 (NLT) If you read yesterday's, Morning Manna, you
know that we followed two dejected disciples as they left Jerusalem in gloom because Jesus had been crucified and they thought
He was still dead in the tomb. Apparently, they heard the story that He was alive from the women who went to the tomb.
But, they didn't believe it. Luke 24:21-24 (NLT) 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel.
This all happened three days ago. 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his
tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing,
and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough,
his body was gone, just as the women had said.” You and I can hear many, many things and
acquire lots of information but it is only what we believe that will change our lives. Hopefully, this morning, you
have believed every word in the Scripture and it has changed your life, giving you hope and joy! There is an old hymn
that says, "Only Believe." That's it. When it comes to Jesus, we've only got to believe. Then
we will be able to receive all that He has for us and all the power from His Spirit to live the way He wants us to (which
is really the very best life we could have). Well,
these two disciples had eaten with Jesus and He revealed Himself to them. When Jesus reveals Himself to you, you've
just got to tell somebody about it! So, with renewed hope, vigor and strength, they ran back to Jerusalem. This
time they didn't just shuffle along this time with their heads hanging down in grief. They ran! They couldn't
wait to get to the other disciples there and tell them about this revelation. Jesus really is alive!
They could hardly contain their words as they ran! "We saw who He was when he ate with us, when He took the bread
and blessed it and then gave it to us!" When you and I read His Word in the Scripture, it is new every day.
At some point, we will read something and say, "YES!" "I see. I see!" Like the two
that walked the road to Emmaus, God will allow us to see who His Son really is! It's so exciting! I just had
a talk with my little granddaughter that I don't get to see very often at all. She had trouble sleeping last night, so
I went in to lay down with her and told her that Jesus loved her and He would help her and watch over her. Then she
said, "Who is Jesus?" Oh, the glory of being able to explain to a child that Jesus is the Son of God who
cares for us, watches over us, sends angels to protect us. She fell asleep and this morning she told me, "My
Jesus stopped my bed from moving. (She felt like every time she closed her eyes, her bed would move and it scared her.)
What a glorious statement, "MY Jesus." And, in my heart, I was singing, "My Jesus I love
Thee, I know Thou art mine." He allowed me to plant a seed in the fertile soil of a little child's
fearful heart. Then, He came to where she was and did exactly what I told her He would do! Well, when the two travelers did reach Jerusalem, they found the other disciples and were quick to spit
out the news of their revelation. Jesus had met them in the midst of their sorrow and fear just like He met my granddaughter
last night. It was almost unbelievable. But, guess what? Jesus had also met Peter right where He was.
Remember Peter was the one who spoke proudly of the fact that He would die with Jesus and then He denied Him three times.
Jesus had already met Peter right where he was, right in the middle of all his guilt and remorse. So, when they all
got together it was a great celebration. Each had a story to tell. Each had been met by Jesus personally,
right where they were. Luke 24:35 (NLT) 35 Then the two from Emmaus told
their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he
was breaking the bread. Peter had a story of his own. Luke 24:33-34 (NLT) 33 And within the hour they were
on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.” No
wonder the Lord wants us to continue to get together with other believers. We all have a story, but the specifics are
different. The root of the story is that Jesus meets us right where we are and He is faithful to provide for our
specific needs! That's cause to celebrate! He is risen! He is alive! He meets us individually where
we are and then He meets us when we gather together. He is glorified when we give testimony one to another and lift
Him up! And, we are uplifted and strengthened to continue our journey, knowing that He is always calling to us, "Let's
get together." MORNING MANNA - APRIL 5, 2010 THEY WERE SAD, THEN THEY WERE GLAD Luke 24:17 (NKJV) It was later in the day on Sunday after Jesus rose
from the dead. Not everyone knew about it. There were two of his disciples who were walking home dejected
because they still thought He was dead. Luke 24:14-16 (NLT) 14 As
they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they
talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16
But God kept them from recognizing him. Here, we find another of those wonderful,
"suddenly's," in the scripture. These people were walking away from Jerusalem toward Emmaus. Were they
possibly thinking that the had really missed it? Did they make a mistake in believing that Jesus was their Messiah?
They knew that the man, Jesus, had been crucified. He was dead and buried and all their hopes and dreams were buried
too. They were extremely sad and they walked along the road talking about it. Suddenly another man was walking with
them. The did not recognize Him and He asked them what they were talking about and why they were so sad. You know, I find that Jesus is the same today as He was on that
day. He will catch up with us and begin conversing with us in our saddest and most confusing times. He will
notice that we are sad! Luke 24:17 (NLT) 17 He asked them, “What are you
discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. Jesus
asked the two dejected travelers why they were so sad. I can kind of see them stop in the tracks and look at Jesus
with dropped jaws! After all, everyone knew that Jesus had been crucified and that He had died and was buried.
The trouble with these two travelers was that they were dwelling on all of these negatives and they had lost hope.
Luke 24:21 (NLT) 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah
who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. They had left before they saw
the end of events unfold! They heard the story but they didn't wait to check it out and find it to be
true. Luke 24:22-24 (NLT) Are there times when we don't wait long enough to learn the rest of the facts? Do we ever come away
with just half of the story? That's easy to do in everyday life when we're in a hurry and it's very easy to do when
we fail to stay in the Lord's presence until we hear all that He has to say. Well, Jesus kept conversing with the
two travelers. It seems like He wasn't too happy with His people. He said, "You foolish people."
Then He proceeded to remind them of what the prophets had said and how Jesus had to be crucified. He went all the
way back to Moses and pointed to all the scriptures that pertained to His life and death. Since they had
almost reached Emmaus, the travelers asked Jesus to stay on with them and He went home with them. Even today, if we
invite Jesus into our lives and our homes, He will come in and eat with us. He loves an invitation! Jesus did
go in with them and they all sat down to eat. Something about the way He broke the bread for them caused them to recognize
Him. Did they see the nail prints in His hands? Or, did just the symbolism of the breaking of the bread cause
them to know who He was? The important thing is that they recognized Him! Luke 24:30-31 (NLT) 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the
bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes
were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! Once they recognized Him,
their hope returned and they were revived enough to run back to Jerusalem where they spoke with the other disciples who confirmed
the fact that Jesus was truly alive and active in the world. When we go through times that threaten to steal away
our hope, it could be that Jesus is right there with us waiting to be recognized. If we do recognize Him through His
Word and through His hand at work in our life, we, like the two weary travelers, will find our hope renewed.
We will find that we have a new-found zest for life. Where once we could but trudge through life, we will now find
ourselves running through life with the excitement of being in the very presence of the Lord! If today finds you doubting,
sad, or running low on hope, know that Jesus sees you. He wants to reveal Himself to you through His Word so that
your travels will not be filled with gloom and doom, without hope. May your hope be revived this morning as you
walk with Him and talk with Him. May your energy and vision be renewed by the power of His presence! The
two disciples were sad until Jesus revealed Himself to them. Then they were glad. It can be the same with us.
In our saddness and confusion, Jesus will move in, and by the sheer joy of His presence, He will make us glad! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 4, 2010 A NEW DAY WAS DAWNING! Matthew 28:1 (NLT) 1 Early on Sunday morning, as the
new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. There is a beautiful Easter song called, "Was It A Morning Like This." As I sing the lyrics,
I am reminded that not a whole lot had changed in the world, in general, the day Jesus was crucified and the day the two
women found His tomb empty. Early on Sunday morning they had gone to the tomb, expecting to take care of the body
of Jesus. Mark 16:1-8 3 On the way they were discussing how they could ever roll aside
the huge stone from the entrance. But, God had already done that. Some time between His death on
Friday and Sunday morning, in the silence of a dark tomb, new Life was taking place! The song says, "Was
it a morning like this when Mary walked down to Jerusalem to tend the Lord she thought was dead." To the world,
it was just another sunrise on Sunday morning. But, to the two Mary's, it was going to be the revelation of a
"Son-rise!" It's so hard to imagine what the two women must have felt like when they got
to the tomb, found the stone rolled away and Jesus's body gone! There are lots of, "suddenly's" in
the scripture and this is one of them. Matthew 28:2 (NLT) 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake!
For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. Now, the women didn't seem to faint when
they arrived at the tomb and saw stone rolled away and the angel waiting for them. But the angel spoke to them.
Matthew 28:5 (NLT) 5 Then the angel spoke to the women.
“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. Apparently
the women lost their sudden fear upon the comforting words of the angel. Then the angel spoke on further. Matthew 28:6 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead,
just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. It was a morning just like this
morning. The sun was rising but the Son had already risen! There may have been more than one angel at the tomb.
And there may have been more people, along with the two Mary's. But, in any event, they were given a command.
Matthew 28:7 (NLT) 7 And now, go quickly and tell
his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember
what I have told you.” I find it interesting
that the revelation of the resurrection of Jesus was first told to women and they were given the job to go and tell
the disciples. I am thinking that it was Eve that ate the forbidden fruit in the garden and then she told Adam to
eat it. Now these women were given the news of new life in Jesus and they were given the privilege of carrying that
news to the men. Matthew 28:8 (NLT) 8 The
women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples
the angel’s message. It's also interesting to me that Jesus met them in their obedience.
Matthew 28:9 (NLT) 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and
greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. When they saw Him, they worshipped
Him! When we are obedient, Jesus meets us there too. When you see Him step into your life and begin to work
in and through your obedience, there is nothing to do but fall at His feet and worship Him. He is worthy! Jesus
was there to encourage the women to continue in obedience and He reiterated to them that they need not be afraid. I
wonder if He did that because He knew that the men would be hesitant to believe their story. Matthew 28:10 (NLT) 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t
be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” Do we
ever get afraid when we know we have to tell someone about Jesus? Jesus was assuring these women that they didn't
need to be afraid because they were testifying of Him. Mark 16:9-11 (TLB) 9 It was early on Sunday morning
when Jesus came back to life, and the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom he had cast out
seven demons. 10 She found the disciples wet-eyed with grief and exclaimed 11 that she had seen Jesus, and he was alive! But they didn’t believe her! Isn't
that the way it is sometimes when we talk about our risen Lord? People don't believe us! Nevertheless, He is
risen! Finally the disciples did believe. We must not get weary in living lives that testify to the fact
that our Savior lives! He's worthy of all of our praise and testimony of His saving power. A new day
has dawned! A day when we can live a victorious life because Jesus paid the debt! Have you received the risen
Savior? If you have received Him, are you running with the good news of His gospel? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 3, 2010 TIME TO THINK Mark 15:46 (NASB) At last!
The Jewish rulers were satisfied! Jesus was dead! Buried. They had nothing more to worry about concerning
this man who claimed to be the Son of God. Or did they? After the tomb was sealed, they had a council meeting
to discuss their concerns over His now dead body. They went before Pilate on Saturday. They did this even though
it was the Sabbath day! They broke their own laws! Matthew 27:62-64 (NLT) 62 The next day, on the Sabbath,
the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir,
we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’
64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his
disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll
be worse off than we were at first.” Pilate was more than happy to comply with their request
since he didn't want any repercussions either. He knew they had crucified an innocent man and he wanted to be sure that
it would not come back to haunt him, since he had consented to it. Matthew 27:65-66 (NLT) 65 Pilate replied, “Take
guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect
it. They had heard Him say that He would rise again - what if He did?!? And don't you wonder what the disciples were thinking about?
Most of them had run away the night before when Jesus was arrested. One, in particular, was probably humiliated
by the fact that in his effort to run away, someone had grabbed his clothes. Off they came leaving him running naked!
Mark 14:50-52 (TLB) 50 Meanwhile, all his disciples had fled. 51
There was, however, a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried
to grab him, I don't know exactly what Jesus did on Saturday but I do know that He was doing something wonderfully spectacular.
There have been many times in my own life that I have felt darkness, pain, loneliness and grief and, yet, I knew Jesus was
doing something wonderful in me and sometimes He would do something wonderful through me that would have been impossible
for me to do on my own. As I was studying to find out exactly what Jesus did on Saturday, I found that there are several
opinions and possibilities. In that study, I came upon the following verses that I had never noticed before tonight.
Matthew 27:50-53 50 And
Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. 51 And at once
the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split.
52 The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep in death
were raised [to life]; 53 And coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they
went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Although I have read through the Bible many times
during my life, I never really noticed that, at the point Jesus died, the veil was torn in two from top to bottom, there
was a great earthquake, and the tombs were opened releasing many bodies of saints who had previously
died. However, even though they were made alive when Jesus died, they didn't go into the holy city and appear to people
until after His resurrection! What did they do on Saturday? Their tombs were opened and they
were raised to life but it doesn't appear that they moved out of those tombs until after Jesus moved out of His tomb.
Was Jesus talking to them on Saturday? There are so many things we don't know! But, there is one thing that
we can know and that is that God loved you and me so much that He sent His Son to suffer and die, raising Him again from
the dead so that we could live the resurrection life! We have all been through some very dark times, times when we
felt entombed in pain or grief. You may be in one of those times now. Whatever Jesus was doing on Saturday,
He will do in you and me today. He will work a wonder. In our darkness, He will come forth shining in and through
us if we will allow Him into our pain. Whatever good thing Jesus was about on Saturday tells us that it's
always darkest before the dawn. While those who followed Jesus grieved and probably wept through the night on
Saturday, He was getting ready to bring them joy on Sunday! God asked Jesus to be willing to suffer for us and He
did. In doing so He gained the victory over death for us! Psalm 30:1-5 (TLB) 1 I will praise you, Lord, for
you have saved me from my enemies. You refuse to let them triumph over me. 2
O Lord my God, I pleaded with you, and you gave me my health again. 3 You
brought me back from the brink of the grave, from death itself, and here I am alive! 4 Oh,
sing to him you saints of his; give thanks to his holy name.5 His anger lasts a
moment; his favor lasts for life! Weeping may go on all night, but in the morning there is joy. This
morning, as we wonder just exactly what Jesus was doing on Saturday, we can know that, because He did what He did, we will
see Him one day face to face. We can ask Him then about all the hard sayings in His Word and about all the hard
things He went through. Even about all the hard things we have gone through. And, as the song says, "we'll
understand it better bye and bye." In the meantime, He has given us this time to think upon Him and praise
Him for the great things He has done for us! MORNING MANNA - APRIL 2, 2010 HE DIED, BUT........ Mark 15:37 (NASB) 37 And
Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. The
story of the crucifixion of Christ is old. We have heard it many a time. Yet, I want to be awed and amazed,
humbled and filled with gratitude each and every time I hear it! The night before Jesus was crucified, He went through
some of the hardest part of it in private, alone with His Father. Jesus went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives
after He had given them the bread and the wine that represented His broken body and spilled blood. When they
got to the olive grove called Gethsemane, He asked them all to wait while He went a little farther to pray. He
took Peter, James, and John with Him, opening His heart to them about the anguish He felt. "My soul
is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He went
on a little farther. His steps must have been heavy and difficult. Then we hear those words of submission coming
from a heart that held upon it the weight of the world. The world that He had created. With His face to
the ground, Jesus prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away
from me. Yet, I want your will to be done, not mine." (Matthew 26:39) Very, very
difficult words! His soul was crushed and He went back to where Peter, James and John were supposed to be keeping
watch. But, they had fallen asleep! Have you every felt grief that you wanted someone else to understand, but
they didn't? Have you ever felt the abandonment of someone you loved? Or, have you just felt the apathy and
lack of compassion from a friend or loved one when your heart was aching so much that you needed support? Jesus felt
all of that and more. The pressure on Jesus was so severe that He sweat drops of blood. Those were the first
drops of His blood that fell for you and me. Precious drops of blood, one of which was enough to save the world!
Well, His friends did not offer Him much support but God sent an angel to strengthen Him. Even after that, here is
what Luke tells us: "He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat
fell to the ground like great drops of blood." (Luke 22:44) Do we ever just gloss over this story because we've heard it so many times.
Like the disciples that fell asleep, are we kind of drowsy and dull of mind as we read the story of what our Savior had
to go through to pay our debt of sin and give us eternal life? The events to follow were the most terrorizing and horrific events that the world has ever seen or will ever
see. Jesus was arrested. Betrayed by Judas. And identified by the kiss of Judas. How awful
is that? Jesus was taken to the high priest's home. Peter, who had said he was ready to die for Jesus, instead,
denied Him. It didn't take much either. Just a little servant girl noticing that Peter was a follower
of Jesus. Jesus had already told Peter he would do that, but Peter didn't believe it. He thought more
of himself than He should have and made promises he couldn't keep. Are we ever like Peter in that way?
Do we take on more than we can do (for Jesus) and then find ourselves at a loss for the strength to actually carry through?
Before His arrest, Jesus had told the disciples plainly that He would be crucified. Also that, after He was raised,
He would meet them in Galilee again. Matthew 266:31-32 (ASV)31 Then saith Jesus
unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the
flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.
They heard His words and they should have been rejoicing because they trusted what He said.
But, they didn't get it. Sometimes, do we read His Word, hear His still small voice in our spirit, and yet fail to
really, "get it?" Three years in intense personal training with the Master had not been enough
for His disciples to really get it! That says to me that we need to be in training by reading the Word, following the
lead of the Holy Spirit, and become more and more submitted to Him. It may just take a lifetime! But, one
day we will see Him face to face and then we will fully "get it!" Meanwhile, the guards began to mock and beat Jesus. They blindfolded him, demanding that He tell
them who hit Him. They spewed out nasty insults at Him. Finally, at daybreak, Jesus was led before the high council,
the elders of His own people. With sleight of words, they questioned Him until they came up with their own answers.
It was then on to Pilate, the Roman governor: 3 So Pilate asked him, “Are you
the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.” (Luke 23:3 - NLT) Pilate couldn't really find anything wrong with Jesus so, upon
the insistence of the Jewish leaders, Pilate send Him to Herod Antipas because Galilee was under his jurisdiction and he
happened to be in Jerusalem that day. Neither could find fault with Jesus. But, there was a way they could release
him. They were allowed to release one prisoner. The very people that Jesus came to save wanted a murderer released
and, as for Jesus, they began to shout, "Crucify Him!" Luke 23:20-21 (NLT)
20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21
But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” And that's exactly what
they did. They crucified the Lamb of God. Here are the lyrics to a song entitled, "They Could Not."
"And when at last they took from Him, what willingly He gave, He died....." You can't take something from
someone who has already given it to you! He went through Hell on earth and then He chose to die and experience Hell
so you and I would never have to! That's how much He gave! Now, we can be certain that we have abundant life
here on earth and eternal life forever with our Savior! The Savior that taught us about submission when we're
going through a hard time. The One who knew that all things were possible for His Father, but who chose His Father's
will instead of His own and endured suffering, humiliation and grief for you and me. That was a very dark Friday when
the Savior gave His life for us. But, He finished the job. He died, but....His suffering and grieving
are now over. He won the victory and then gave that victory to you and me! Although the story should break our
hearts, Jesus wants to now put our hearts back together again filling them with His grace, mercy, love, kindness,
and every other good thing. He paid for all of this for you and me. Have we received the costly gift and are we
using it? MORNING MANNA - APRIL 1, 2010 JESUS FINISHED AND COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIS FATHER Matthew 27:51-52 (NLT) 51 At that moment the curtain in
the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52
and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
What a dark day (literally and
figuratively) when Jesus hung on the cross. The One who was and would give the world living water, was thirsty.
He was in need of water Himself and all the world had to offer him was vinegar! Matthew 27:48 (NLT) 48 One of them ran and filled a
sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. What a travesty!
John tells us that after Jesus drank the sour wine, or vinegar, He said, "It is finished!" As the song,
Isaiah 53 says, "But every law was satisfied the moment He laid down His life, the power of death was
destroyed, the debt was paid." Yes, Jesus was almost ready to lay His life down but He wanted you and
me to know that it is finished. Your debt and my debt was paid there on the cross that day. The
Father and the Son planned this "bail-out," for you and for me and Jesus finished the job! Here's what God
says about His Son regarding finishing the job. Isaiah 53:11-12 (NLT) 11 When he sees all that is accomplished
by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many
to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him
the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins
of many and interceded for rebels. The writer
of The Message puts it this way: Isaiah 53:10-12 (MSG) 10 Still, it's what GOD had in
mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come
from it—life, life, and more life. And GOD's plan will deeply prosper through him. 11
Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced,
my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
12 Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly— the best of everything, the highest
honors— Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took
on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep. Yes you and I
are among all of those sheep who have gone astray. We're all black sheep until we receive the gift of salvation purchased
there on the cross of Calvary by our Lord, Jesus Christ. He finished His part and He said it from the cross for all
to hear. His Father heard Him and the world heard Him. The question is, what will we do about it? Receive
the great gift of His finished work? Or ignore it? Jesus
had one more thing to say before He died. Luke tells us about that in His gospel. Luke 23:44-46 (AMP) 44 It was now about the sixth hour
(midday), and darkness enveloped the whole land and earth until the ninth hour (about three o’clock in the afternoon),
45 While the sun’s light faded or was darkened; and the curtain [of the Holy
of Holies] of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice,
said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit! And with these words, He expired. As God looked away
from His Son, the whole earth became dark. During that time, as Jesus was making His last statements and
breathing His last breaths, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, indicating that, because of the finished
job of Jesus, you and I now have the privilege of going boldly before the throne of our Father clothed in the righteousness
of Jesus in our times of need and darkness! Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice. He committed His spirit
into the hands of His Father. He did this during the darkness. He did this even though He felt abandoned.
He did this by faith. He did not let His feelings keep Him from finishing His purpose and mission in life.
No one killed Jesus. He gave up His own Spirit into the hands of His Father whom He couldn't see at the time;
but He knew He could trust Him! Jesus knows what it is like to be in darkness. He has felt
every dark moment you and I have ever had and He felt it exponentially. He once again gave us an example by which to
live and die. In every dark moment and in the dark moment of death to this world, we can, and must, commit our own
spirit into the hands of our loving Father. He is in control anyway, whether we believe it or not. However,
He wants us to trust Him, letting Him guide and direct our spirit in this life and in death. Jesus is about
to show us that, after every dark moment, the Son will shine again! Have you committed your spirit into
the hands of our Father by receiving His Son? He paid the debt for you and me. He finished the job!
He was committed to save us and, in His own darkness, He committed His Spirit to His Father. He died for
you and for me. But, that isn't the end! The story is just beginning! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 31, 2010 THE LIVING WATER IS THIRSTY John 19:28 (NLT) When Jesus was on the cross, He made His seven last statements. The first four concerned relationships.
Our relationship with the Father, our relationship with Jesus, our relationship with each other and Jesus's relationship
with His Father. Jesus was not a complainer. His focus was mainly on others, even in His suffering. The
next time you or I are tempted to complain, it would be wonderful if we could just get a mental picture of how Jesus suffered.
I guess we would quickly realize that we don't have much to complain about! Even so, I, many times, complain about
things that irritate me. The other day I went for a walk and took my water bottle with me. The sun became hot
and I drank most of my water. Before I knew it, it was almost all gone and I had a distance to go. This is a
little thing but some panic set in that I would collapse before I got home since I would have no more water. Imagine
how Jesus felt there on the cross. He did not panic. He did not complain. He grieved. He grieved
over you and me and all those who just could not see the Way to the Kingdom of God. He grieved when His Father had
to turn His face away because all of our sin was upon Him. It was only when He knew His mission was finished that
He said, "I am thirsty." The Bible says that He needed to say that to fulfill the scripture.
However, I'm sure He was very thirsty. The sun
was probably hot and he was held high on the cross. He could barely get a breath because of the way He was
positioned on the cross. Each breath was a struggle and the pain was excruciating. I am sure His mouth
was dry beyond imagination. Psalm 22:15 (NLT) 15 My strength has dried up like
sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. No
human can or will help Him and His Father has looked away from Him. Psalm 42:1-4 may let us in on a tiny bit of what He may have been
feeling. 1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been
my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I
remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts
of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Just one week before, there was a festive
throng as He rode into Jerusalem amidst cheers and adulation. One week can make a vast difference in one's
life. Now almost everyone had either denied Him or wanted Him dead. Flash back to the scene at the well in Samaria, where Jesus broke all tradition and talked to a woman.
A sinful woman. A Samaritan. This was unheard of but Jesus always had purpose and mission in His
life. He had to go to Samaria. John 4:4 (NIV) 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. The Jews
of that day would go far out of their way so they didn't have to pass through Samaria because of the racial animosity.
But Jesus had to go. He knew there was a woman there who didn't know she was thirsty, but she was very
thirsty. Her life was at the point of being snuffed out because she had no purpose even though she had looked
for her purpose in quite a large number of men. Here is part of the conversation that Jesus had with this Samaritan
woman: John 4:7-10 (NIV) 7 When a Samaritan woman came to
draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town
to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I
am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a
drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." Jesus revealed Himself
to her as the living water. At that point she realized she would like some of that water. She liked
the idea of never having to be thirsty again. She was tired of repeatedly going to the well where she was probably
persecuted and criticized. John 4:15 (NIV) 15 The woman said to him, "Sir,
give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." Later
on in the conversation, Jesus would reveal Himself as the Messiah to the least likely of people. A Samaritan.
A woman. An awful sinner. John 4:25-26 (NIV) 25 The woman said, "I know
that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." Jesus, the
living water, gave of Himself to the unloved and the unlovely. He gave living water to this woman who freely shared
it with the whole town. Fast forward to the scene on Golgotha. The Savior hangs dying and He is thirsty. He has
poured out His live for the world; but the world didn't care. Many do not care today. Psalm 22:14 (NLT) 14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. The Savior was thirsty.
Not just physically. He was spiritually thirsty. He had poured out His life for us. Allowed Himself to
be abandoned by God and by mankind so that He could finish His purpose and mission. So He could pour His Spirit
into us (if we will realize that we are dying of thirst without Him). John 7:37-39 (NLT) 37 On the last day, the climax
of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38
Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will
flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he
was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because
Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) Are you thirsty? Will you receive living water from
the Living Water who poured out His life like water for you? He suffered unbelievable thirst so our
thirst could be forever quenched! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 30, 2010 IT'S STILL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP Matthew 27:45 (NLT) I would venture to say that just about all of us have felt the darkness in our lives when someone we have
loved has gone on to be with the Lord. Or abandoned us. Or deserted us. No wonder darkness fell across
the whole land on that Friday when Jesus was crucified! Jesus was feeling the darkness! Most of His
disciples had deserted Him. That was bad enough. But, He didn't blame them. He even told them, in essence,
that He knew they wanted to do what was right, but their flesh was so weak. Even after three years of seeing Jesus
perform miracles, pour love out on the unlovely, and offer forgiveness and eternal life, the disciples were still weak in
their faith and in their flesh. Matthew 26:41 (TLB) 41 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise
temptation will overpower you. For the spirit indeed is willing, but how weak the body is!" Many
of us are just like those disciples who could not even stay awake for one hour when Jesus needed them most! Matthew 26:40 (TLB) 40 Then he returned to the three
disciples and found them asleep. "Peter," he called, "couldn’t you even stay awake with me one hour? If
you have ever been left alone or deserted or abandoned when you were weak and in great need, you have just a tiny idea of
how Jesus must have felt there on the cross. He had poured Himself into all of these disciples for three years,
letting them in on the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But, when He needed their support most, they fell asleep and
later they ran away, leaving Him deserted, abandoned and alone. If you have never experienced anything like that,
it is a very dark place to be. Alone. But, Jesus didn't
need people, right? He had His Father. They were in such close relationship. He talked to Him often when
He went alone to pray. It is said that He was alone but He was not really alone. His Father was right there
with Him. He didn't doubt that His Father loved Him. He was completely secure in the knowledge of who He was.
Matthew 14:23 (AMP) 23 And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into
the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone. Jesus had a wonderful
relationship with His Father. He told Him everything right down to His deepest feelings. Jesus also knew what
His mission was. He knew He was going to go through horrific suffering but, as the song says, "He
chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me - down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary." He
already knew that people would turn against Him. It was foretold many places in the scriptures, the following
being just one of them. Psalm 22:6-8 (NLT) 6 But I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all! 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and
shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the LORD?
Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!” Jesus knew
before He said the following words that He would be having to say them and feel them, yet, He chose to let it happen.
That's how much He loves you and me. Psalm 21:1 (NLT) 1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so
far away when I groan for help? Our
Savior knew His Father well. He knew that His Father could not look upon sin. That's why Jesus came to earth.
Because we are all sinners and we would have forever been separated from the Father. He could not look upon us - not
even the best of us! Compared to God's holiness, even the best of us are nothing more than stinking garbage.
Habakkuk 1:13 (NLT) 13 But you [God] are pure and
cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people
more righteous than they? Jesus knew ahead of time that He would have to give up His perfect relationship
with His Father in order to bring us back into right relationship. He chose to allow Himself to be separated from
His Father, abandoned by Him, left alone, and deserted, so that you and I would never have to experience that! It was
certainly a dark time when the Father had to look away from His Son, whom He so dearly loved. His love for His Son
did not waiver and they both knew that there would be glory and victory to follow, but for that moment, their relationship
would be broken, non-existent! Have you ever felt like crying out to God because you feel like He's not there?
Perhaps life has overwhelmed you as it so often can. Where is God in all of this? Well, we can be confident
that He is right there with us because He has promised to do that. All because Jesus went to the pits of Hell (which
is total separation from God). He had to do that and be abandoned by His Father because He made the sacrificial choice
to cloth Himself and infuse Himself with all of my sin. All of your sin. All of the sin of everyone who has ever
lived or will ever live! God could not look at that sin. Jesus took it upon Himself, once for all! He
endured the darkness of broken relationship with His Father so you and I could live in the light of His glory! In the
book, "Hard Sayings Of The Bible," it says that this verse from Mark 15:34, Then Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" ( "My
God, my God, why have you deserted me?"), is the hardest of all the hard sayings in the Bible! Here
is a part of what they say about what Jesus endured that day in the way of relationship with His Father.
There is no depth of dereliction known to human beings which he has not plumbed; by this means he has been "made
perfect"—that is to say, completely qualified to be his people's sympathizing helper in their most extreme need.
If they feel like crying to God, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" they can reflect that that is what he cried. When
they call out of the depths to God, he who called out of the depths on Good Friday knows what it feels like. But there is
this difference: he is with them now to strengthen them—no one was there to strengthen him. - From Hard Sayings of The Bible No wonder Jesus places such great emphasis
on relationships. Our relationship with God and our relationship with one another. He knows the darkness of
broken relationship. You might say, He knows the Hell of a broken relationship. But now, praise God, Jesus has
made a way for you and me to have restored relationship with the Father and with each other. We don't have to receive
or walk in that restored relationship but who, in their right mind, would turn down such a gift? Why walk in the darkness
of grief, despair, loneliness, abandonment, and desertion when you are invited to come into the Kingdom of Light and walk
in newness of life and relationship? What will be our choice? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 29, 2010 IT'S NOT ABOUT ME John 19:26 (NLT) 26
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here
is your son.” When
Jesus hung on the cross in agony that dark Friday, He could have been thinking about Himself. In fact, I cannot imagine
how He could be focused on anything but the pain from the stripes on His back, the thorns piercing His head, that nails
in His hands and feet, the humiliation of being mocked and spit upon, hanging naked before the world, and the weight of the
world's sin on His shoulders. If I had to undergo just a miniscule part of that suffering, I wish I could say
that I would be thinking about others instead of myself but, unless God poured a super amount of grace into me, I'm sure
it would be all about me and my suffering! Imagine this. His eyes were probably almost swollen
shut from His injuries. In addition, the blood and sweat probably dripped into them burning them like fire. He
couldn't even wipe His own brow because His hands were stretched out and nailed to that tree. Yet, somehow, He opened
His eyes and He saw His mother standing at the foot of His cross along with His beloved disciple, John. He didn't just
look down bleary-eyed, although He must have been half out of his human mind in pain. He really saw
them. He took note of them and their needs, setting His own suffering aside to make sure their needs were
met. Once again, He set the example for all of us. He fulfilled His own Word even though it cost Him everything!
1 Timothy 5:8 (NLT) 8 But those who won’t care
for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. Even with His dying breaths, Jesus set the example
for us. He made arrangements for His mother to be cared for. He gave John the privilege of blessing Him by taking
care of His mother. Jesus fulfilled the law to honor our parents when He made arrangements for His mother's care.
He also brought honor to His Heavenly Father by obeying the command. Matthew 15:4-6 (NLT) 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’
and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you
say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to
God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.
And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. Jesus did not try to worm
His way around the law like the people of His time. They were only interested in the letter of the law and
their hearts were not changed so that they had the compassion they should have had for their parents. Jesus fulfilled
the spirit of the law! Many think that Joseph had died before
Jesus was crucified. If that was so, Jesus, being the firstborn son of His earthly parents, would have been the
one to take over the responsibility of meeting His mother's needs. He did not take that responsibility lightly. Rather,
He fulfilled the law by loving His mother and loving John so much that He thought of them instead of Himself at that moment
in time. So, the third words we hear from Jesus, from the cross, were, "Dear woman, here is your son...Here is
your mother." So far, the first three times we hear Jesus speak from the cross, relationship is involved. Jesus thought of, and asked His Father to forgive, those in the crowd
that day that mercilessly crucified Him. He wanted, even His enemies, to be brought back into right relationship with
the Father. Yes, His eyes were on the crowd that day but they looked far beyond that crowd. "Though
His Eyes Were On The Crowd That Day, He Looked Ahead In Time. When He was On The Cross, I was on His mind." These
are lyrics from the song, "When He Was On The Cross." It's very true. When Jesus hung on
the cross the first thing He thought of was not Himself. It was you and me. When He
was on the cross we were on His mind. Secondly, Jesus gave the two criminals who hung on crosses
beside Him the opportunity to, in their final moments, come into relationship with Him and receive eternal life. Only
one responded in the affirmative. Jesus is still offering that relationship and He will do it until we have
taken our last breath. He wants to, and is able, to restore our relationship with the Father! But,
He leaves the choice to us. Thirdly, He spoke to His mother and assured her that, although He was her Lord and her
Savior, He was still her earthly son and He loved her. He loved her both as her Savior and her son. He loved
her enough to honor her by making sure that she would be taken care of. He didn't just shove her off somewhere in a
home (if there was anything like that in that day) where she didn't know anyone but, instead, he met her needs for
relationship by giving her an "adopted," son. His very own beloved disciple, John. John, then took
her home and she lived with him, probably, until she died. 27 And
he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
Can you see how Jesus loves His enemies, He loves criminals, and He loves His own family and followers?
The first things He took care of while on the cross were all about relationship. Our relationship with God, with Jesus,
and with our family and friends! I would love to say that my first thoughts on any given day are about relationship.
Especially, if I am hurting or distraught about something. At this late age, I'm still learning about the importance
of relationships! Yet, when He was on the cross, His mind was first on others and relationship; not on Himself.
Jesus didn't say, "It's all about me - look at my pain and suffering." He first said,
"It's all about others." In fact, I can hear Him saying, at that point, from the cross, "This is all
about you. I did this all because of my love for you. Now, you go and be like me and make it all about our Father
and all about others." I remain awed by that kind of love and challenged to be more like Him in that
way with every passing moment. I'm going to need a lot of moments to get it right and much help and direction from
His Spirit. But, each step of putting me in the background is one step closer to a closer relationship with Him and
with others! It's really not all about me any more! He paid my debt on the cross when He died for me.
When I received the gift of restored relationship with the Him, the cycle started over again. Because
of that great gift, I am now free and, it is now my joy, to endeavor to make it all about Him and all about others!
MORNING MANNA - MARCH 28, 2010 WE'RE ALL CRIMINALS Luke 23:43 (NIV) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in
paradise." I
have always thought of the two people hanging on either side of Jesus on crosses, as thieves. People love to use the
illustration of, "the thief on the cross," to show that we can receive salvation with our dying breath.
I am not denying the fact that the, moment we turn to Jesus, in repentance, and receive Him as our Savior, He grants us salvation.
That could be when we are still a child or it could be in the last moment of life here on earth. I'm sitting here
amazed at how little I know! Now, I am focused on just exactly what these men who hung on crosses beside
Jesus were. Almost every version of the scripture in Luke Chapter 23, calls these men, whose crosses flanked the cross
of Jesus, "criminals." Although it's very possible that the men were thieves, the word, "criminals," has
a much deeper meaning. In the King James Version, the word is translated, "malefactors." Here's what
Luke 23:32-33 says about the situation: 32 Two other
men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they
came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his
left. These two criminals saw the whole event unfold before their eyes. Luke 23:34-38 (NIV) 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know
what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching,
and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the
Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written
notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Being curious about these things, I looked up the Greek word which is translated, "criminals,"
or, "malefactors," in this passage. I found it to be all-encompassing. It means, "evil-working."
Of course, we all know thieves are workers of evil but this word includes much more than thieves. It includes every
kind of sin. Therefore, it includes each one of us since we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 (KJV) 23 For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God; I am thinking that these two, "evil-workers," represent all of humanity.
We all deserve the punishment of a cross but Jesus took it for us. God laid all of our iniquity on His own perfect
Son! How glad we are for the sacrifice Jesus made for us! Isaiah 53:6 (NLT) 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed
away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. God
placed all of our punishment on Jesus and Jesus took it! If that isn't love, I'm not sure what love looks like!
Romans 3:25-31 (TLB) 25 For God sent Christ Jesus to
take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith
as the means of saving us from his wrath. In this way he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who
sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins. 26 And now in these days also he can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away
their sins. But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for he does
it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins. 27 Then
what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good
deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in him. 28 So it is that
we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do. 29 And does God
save only the Jews in this way? No, the Gentiles, too, may come to him in this same manner. 30
God treats us all the same; all, whether Jews or Gentiles, are acquitted if they have faith. 31 Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this mean that we no longer need obey God’s
laws? Just the opposite! In fact, only when we trust Jesus can we truly obey him. I am not surprised that the first words Jesus uttered from the cross were, "Father, forgive them,
for they don't know what they are doing.", and that the second words were addressed to one of the evil-workers that
hung there beside Him on another cross. Those familiar words are taking on new meaning for me today, even
though I have heard them repeated for years. Jesus has just reaffirmed to the evil-worker beside Him that he is
forgiven. Jesus has just promised that evil-worker a place with Himself! It may seem like the guy didn't even
have to repent. But, wait a minute. There were two evil-workers hanging there. One of them was railing
on Jesus and insulting Him even while he, himself, was preparing to die. Luke 23:39 (NIV) 39 One of the criminals who hung there
hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal
rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? Look
how the one criminal represents those who agree with God's description of mankind! Luke 23:39 (NIV) 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
But this man has done nothing wrong." Jesus was right in the middle of the only two kinds
of people there are on earth, even today. Those who agree with God and those who don't. They both saw Jesus and
they both had the opportunity to call on Him. The one was willing to admit that he deserved the punishment
he was getting. He even rebuked the criminal that was hurling all the disrespect. In his dying moments, one
man admitted that he was an evil-worker (whatever his specific offense was). When he admitted to that, he
also realized that he had to humble himself and ask Jesus to remember him. He did that but, it appears that the other
criminal went to his death, doomed for eternity. Jesus received the criminal who had humbly admitted that
he was evil and that he need Jesus to allow him into the Kingdom. Luke 23:42 (NIV) 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come
into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with
me in paradise." The one criminal represents those who realize that they are sinners in need
of a Savior, while the other criminal seems to represent those who remain self-sufficient with hearts that have not
been humbled or changed in the presence of the Lord. Which one of these evil-workers represents you? Yes,
Jesus is willing to forgive all evil-workers (that includes you and me and "whosoever will"). He
would have forgiven the other criminal too, if he would have just admitted that he was an evil-worker and received the
gift of forgiveness. We may be surprised at just who we will meet in Heaven. None of them will
be there because they are not evil-workers. They will be there because they received the gift of the forgiveness from
Jesus which was extended even to His enemies. They will be there totally because Jesus took their punishment upon
Himself. To illustrate this fact, we have his second words from the cross to the dying criminal, "you will
be with me in paradise." Each criminal had a choice that day. We have a choice too. Will it be paradise
for you and for me? The gift is there but we must receive it! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 27, 2010 WE ARE FORGIVEN Luke 23:34 (NLT) Forgiveness was a big issue with Jesus.
He spoke of it more than once during his earthly ministry. When He taught his disciples (and us) how to pray,
part of that prayer was this: Matthew 6:12 (NIV) 12 Forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. This line from what we commonly call, "The Lord's Prayer,"
(but it is really the prayer to be prayed by His disciples) implies that God expects us to forgive those who have
wronged us in some way. In fact, as I read it, I notice that the prayer is asking God to forgive us our trespasses just
like we have forgiven those who trespass against us. It tells me that I can only ask for as much forgiveness from
God as I am willing to give out to others. At the very end of this same prayer, Jesus reiterates the importance
of forgiving others. Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) 14 For
if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. That seems
pretty direct and straight-forward to me. Besides that, this is the second time Jesus has said as much in four short
Bible verses! I don't see any way to read this but that we cannot be forgiven by God if we don't forgive others.
That is pretty scary! How many people do you need to forgive? Even if they have not asked you to forgive
them? Jesus was, and is, not only the Savior of the world with the power to forgive sins: He was and is also our
Leader. A good leader will never ask those under him or her to do something that he or she would not be willing to
do. The very first words from the mouth of Jesus, when He was hanging on the cross, were words of forgiveness.
He set the example for us. He asked God to forgive people who didn't deserve to be forgiven. Will we do
the same? I don't even think we can imagine just what it meant for Jesus to get the
issue of forgiveness out of the way first when He was crucified. There He was naked, beaten
beyond recognition, bleeding, dying. Rejected by His own people, the ones He came to save! What was the
very first thing He said when He looked down at the Jews and the Romans who conspired together to crucify Him, even
though He was innocent? "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." His own people,
the Jews, were mocking Him, spitting at Him and insulting Him. The Roman soldiers were at the foot of the cross deciding
which of them would get His clothes. They were gambling as His blood poured off the cross to the ground. They
had no compassion at all for His suffering. Jesus, our Savior, our Leader, spoke words of forgiveness to
all of them. Not only that, as a song so aptly puts it, "Though His eyes were on the crowd that day, He looked
ahead in time. When He was on the cross, I was on His mind." You were on His mind too. He
might as well have been speaking those words to you and me today. The song goes on to say, "He knew me, yet
He loved me." Yes, He knew those people that were crucifying Him that day and, in spite of everything they
did to Him, He loved them! He knew the poor choices you and I would make too. He knew about the times we would
ignore Him or even push Him away. He even knew that we would sometimes recall His crucifixion as though it were just a fictional
story. He knew about the times we would deny Him, if not by words, by our lifestyle. Yet, He loved
us enough to forgive us in spite of ourselves! He has forgiven everyone but everyone has not received it. In
order to experience the gift of forgiveness, you have to receive it. Have you acknowledged the fact that you are a
sinner in need of forgiveness? That you might as well have been one of those people in the crowd that day
who either mocked Him, placed the nails in His hands, or were just apathetic? Those around the cross that day,
for the most part, were hard-hearted, blinded by sin. They saw everything but could they really see? No.
They couldn't. Can you see Jesus and hear Him today? He's still calling out for us to come and receive the
forgiveness that He purchased for us on the cross. Jesus lived a life of forgiveness. He went about doing good and exercising
His Father's forgiveness on earth. Matthew 9:2-7 (TLB) 2 Soon some men brought him a paralyzed
boy on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick boy, "Cheer up, son! For I have forgiven your sins!"
3 "Blasphemy! This man is saying he is God!" exclaimed some of the religious
leaders to themselves. 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them,
"Why are you thinking such evil thoughts? 5 I, the Messiah, have the
authority on earth to forgive sins. But talk is cheap—anybody could say that. 6 "So
I’ll prove it to you by healing this man." Then, turning to the paralyzed man, he commanded, "Pick up your
stretcher and go on home, for you are healed." 7 And the boy jumped up
and left! Of all people, the religious leaders were the first to persecute Him for exercising the authority
that He had received from His Father. They didn't stop the persecution until their desire for His blood was satisfied
and they saw Him nailed to the cross. Little did they know that the blood He shed would be for their own forgiveness!
Little did they know that He would not retaliate or call for any retaliation by His followers but that He would cry
out to His Father to forgive them! As Jesus sat with His disciples eating the Passover Meal with them,
the last meal He would eat with them before He was crucified, ...he took a cup of wine and gave thanks
to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for
this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the
sins of many. (Matthew 26:27-28 - NLT) He knew that He was about to go to the cross. He even knew
that the close friends He was sharing the cup with would desert and deny Him. He knew that He would have the enormous
task of forgiving those who put Him on the cross. Not just the ones that pounded the nails in His hands and not
just the ones that rigged His trial, but all of us down through the ages who have sinned against Him and against our Father.
Can you imagine the magnitude of the forgiveness that flowed when He said, "Father, forgive them because they don't
know what they're doing."? You and I may have sinned in ignorance or we may have just willingly chosen to make a
wrong decision. Yet, Jesus, as His blood poured out, asked His Father to forgive us! We know that whatever Jesus
asks of His Father is gong to be done! We are forgiven! Have we received the gift? Do we ponder
the cost? Are we willing to follow the instructions and example of Jesus and forgive others? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 26, 2009 SOME SECRETS FROM JESUS - TREASURE Matthew 6:20 (NLT) 20 Store your treasures in
heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Most of us, here in America, have tons of stuff. We don't have
room in our homes for all of our, "treasures," so we box it up and store it in the garage or in the attic.
Some of us purchase self-storage places and fill them with boxes and "stuff." I heard the statistics
the other day about the amount of money spent each year on self-storage. It was astronomical and I'm sorry I can't
remember it so I can relay it here. However, when I heard it, it really made me think! The people who own
self-storage places make lots of money off of renting these spaces to, "stuff." "Stuff," makes
good tenants. It doesn't wreck the place or make noise. It just sits there and the owners of the self-storage
place collect the monthly rent. Jesus told us a story of a man that had lots of stuff hoarded
up, so he decided to build his own, "self-storage." He decided to build more barns so that he could have
enough stuff to last him the rest of his life without having to work any more. For him, this was not the best
choice! Luke 12:16-21 (NLT) 16 Then he told them a story: “A
rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself,
‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then
he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all
my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My
friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then
who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is
a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” This man thought
he was being smart but he was really a fool because He was only thinking of himself. He didn't care that there may
have been people around him who were hungry or could use some of his, "stuff." His relationship
with God was at best, hindered, and probably non-existent because He did not care about anyone but himself. He
tried to keep all his treasure here in earth in a big, and probably very noticeable, barn. Jesus, on the other hand, tells us to store up our wealth in Heaven.
To place what we have in a secret place where even moths can't find it and eat it up! Here on earth, stored
up things gather dust, they rust, moths eat holes in them, mice and rats chew on them and, if any of them are worth
anything, you can be sure that a thief will have his eye on them! The secret Jesus has for us about treasure is that
it is to be kept in Heaven, hidden away with Him. There, nothing can take it from us or destroy it. I would
even venture to suspect that it will gain in value when we hide it away there in secret. Matthew 6:20 (NLT) 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy,
and thieves do not break in and steal. Having had a time in my life when I had nothing to speak
of and then being so blessed of God that I have much, I can say that I know where Jesus is coming from here. Wherever
your treasure is, your heart is going to be there too. In a practical sense, when we amass a lot of wealth or "stuff,"
we must spend more and more time moving it around, cleaning it, maintaining it, protecting it, etc. When this happens,
our focus automatically goes to those things to which we are tending. God is not against us having things
but it is to our detriment when we spend all of our time and energy in the care of all the gifts God has given us. Matthew 6:21 (NLT) 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will
also be. When the gifts become our treasure, our hearts are led away from God instead of toward a good
relationship with Him. A simple question will help us determine where our treasure is. Is there
anything here on earth that we would not be willing to give up in order to have a more intimate relationship with God? I have just been reminded today that there is another kind of treasure
that we can have. It is that of brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to dedicate this morning's writing to
God first and then to the memory of my brother in Christ, Bob Smith, who went home to be with the Lord yesterday.
When I got the news of his Homegoing, the Lord reminded me of the treasure we have in those people who love us
and encourage us. I met Bob in another state one time. I sang at a service where he attended church.
From then on the Lord blessed me with a friendship with he and his wife and son that has been a mainstay of encouragement
to me to this day. I will miss his e-mails encouraging me to keep writing. I will miss his presence here on earth.
Yet, I know that today, the treasure of his friendship is not lost. He knew Jesus and loved Jesus. He served
Jesus and was an encouragement to many. Jesus has put a treasure within the clay pot of each of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) 7 We now have this light shining
in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great
power is from God, not from ourselves. Bob had a treasure that was shining in his heart. Some
people may not have noticed it because it was in, as Jesus says, a clay pot. All along, the treasure
of us is hidden away with Jesus, if we are believers. Jesus considers us great treasure. Such great treasure
that He was willing to die to make sure He didn't lose the treasure. Now Bob has been set free from the earthy
clay pot which kept him from shining fully. He is free to shine before Jesus, a gleaming treasure, now polished
and glowing in perfection! I am happy to say, although I am saddened that I will miss Bob's care for me
on earth, that I have treasure in Heaven! When I get there, Bob will be among those who, along with Jesus, will
greet me. Bob and many others in my life who have believed in Jesus are now hidden like treasure with the Lord.
What do you treasure most? A thought comes to mind now of something Jesus said about the two greatest treasures we
can have, the love of God and the love of our fellow man. Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT) 37 Jesus replied, “‘You
must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This
is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the
prophets are based on these two commandments.” Thank you Bob Smith, for spending some of
the precious moments of your own life to encourage me! Thank you to the many others who have loved God enough to reach
out and touch my life! Thank you Lord, for providing the treasure of friendships that, when the clay pots are broken,
will stay hidden with You until we are all joyfully reunited forever to be with You! Where is your treasure?
Is it hidden in the secret place of Heaven where nothing can take it from you? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 25, 2010 SOME SECRETS FROM JESUS - FASTING Matthew 6:18 (NLT) 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father,
who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. While reading through Matthew, Chapter Six, I am noticing there
is a common thread. It has to do with secrecy. When we are in an intimate relationship with someone, we
usually do not go around blabbing to the whole world about everything we do behind closed doors! Our Father is
interested in an intimate relationship with His children. What we do in the way of giving, prayer, and fasting, is
not to be flaunted before those around us. When we do that, we're assured that the only reward we will get is the applause
of people. That's a far cry from what God really has for His children! If we are going to fast, we are
supposed to do it in secret. Matthew 6:18 (NLT) 16 “And when you fast,
don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them
for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. I have to kind of
chuckle at this description of those hypocrites that Jesus is talking about. When they fast, they try to look
miserable and disheveled. They try to look really bad! When I go out, looking really bad is not really my goal.
In fact, I look in the mirror more than I should to be sure I don't look really bad! The idea behind fasting is
not that we play the martyr and get the adulation of people around us because we are suffering so much! So many of
the things that we do for the Lord can become, "performance oriented." These hypocrites that Jesus was
talking about were so starved for attention and affirmation from their peers that they went to all lengths to get it.
Including looking like something the cat just dragged in! As I read further, I see that Jesus says this in Matthew 6:17: 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Do you
think that He is saying, "Stay with the program and don't focus on your fasting."? When I am fasting, I
try to keep myself looking good. In the Amplified Bible it says this: Matthew 6:17 (AMP) 17 But when you fast, perfume your
head and wash your face, I don't just perfume my head (although I do that too by spraying perfume
in my hair), I anoint my whole face with cream and make up so that this temple can look the best it can! Then
I hope that no one will notice (except God) that I'm any different than at any other time. Matthew 6:18 (NLT) 18 Then no one will
notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything,
will reward you. Now, if you catch me before I'm ready to go out in public, you may not see
this display of physical anointing but I do not purpose to look ugly in public just so people will know I am fasting and
say, "Oh, poor you, you must be so hungry." When we are training ourselves to sacrifice certain foods,
activities, etc., before God, it is between us and the Father. Everybody doesn't have to hear about it! I have
been on a partial fast for many years now, asking God for a certain person in my life to be healed, delivered, and
blessed with abundance. I'm not writing this so you can think I'm so good. I'm not. If I
was, I might have been able to fast for days at a time. Instead, I told God what I thought I could do and began
to obediently do it. I did not want to make a commitment to God that I knew I couldn't keep. I've done that before
and the rewards are not so good there! Besides that, I did not want to let God down or let my loved one down.
So, I made a commitment to do a partial fast every day and then continue fasting as long as the Lord would give
me strength. He met me at my place of ability and commitment and added His super to my natural. With His
help and by His grace, I have not stopped since because of this fact: God has moved on behalf of my fasting and prayers.
I see changes! God has shown me His faithfulness for the tiny step I committed to Him. Again, I am trusting
that I am not being like those hypocrites who did their fasting so that people would notice and give them kudos.
I am writing this as a testimony to our God's love and faithfulness when we decide to fast without bringing attention
to it. Even without concentrating on it ourselves. I can say from the Words of Jesus, and from experience,
God will reward us openly when we work with Him in private! Fasting is an issue that most people don't like to talk about, much less do. I confess that I am in that group.
Especially when it comes to food. I really like to eat! It can be very tempting to complain when fasting.
I've never seen a complainer that looked really good! If God places it on our heart to fast before Him, He certainly
doesn't want to hear any complaining or see us downcast while we're doing it. God doesn't like complainers! Take
a look at this sobering scripture about God's opinion of complainers! Numbers 11:1 (NLT) 1 Soon the people began to complain
about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said. Then the LORD’s anger blazed against them, and he sent
a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. One
thing about these hypocrites that Jesus was speaking about is that they always tried to look downcast when they were
fasting. The King James Version says these people put on a sad countenance and disfigured their faces. Does
that sound like many Christians you meet today? Even those who may not be fasting? As someone once said, many
of us look like we've been sucking on a lemon. I have to ask myself why anyone around me would want to be
a Christian if they saw me all the time with a sad and gloomy face. Even when we're fasting, the world needs
to see the joy of Jesus in us! They can all be sad and downcast in this world (with good reason if you dwell on the
circumstances) and they don't need Jesus to stay that way. What people want to see is the goodness of God. What
could be a better testimony than, after having fasted and prayed (keeping a "happy face" all the while), we were
able to show the world that God is faithful. He sees us when we fast before Him in secret and He hears those prayers
that are prayed in secret. I don't know what could make a person more joyful than to know that God is on their case.
He's working out good plans for those who will seek Him. He reveals Himself to those who will seek Him! Jeremiah 29:13 (TLB) 13 You will find me when you seek
me, if you look for me in earnest. It's true that fasting will be uncomfortable at times, especially
when you are around others who are able to eat that thing or do that thing that you have sacrificed to the Lord.
However, by faith (which is the evidence of things not yet seen), we know that God is going to reward us openly and for all
to see! What could be any better than that? If our motives are right, we can't give anything to God or do anything
for Him without getting much more in return! Matthew 7:11 (TLB) 11 And if you hardhearted, sinful
men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to
those who ask him for them? Although that should not be our motive, God can't help who He
is and He's an awesome Heavenly Father who loves disciplined children. His desire is to bless them beyond their capacity
to believe it! Ephesians 3:20 (TLB) 20 Now glory be to God, who by his mighty
power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our
highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. Do you and God have some
secrets today? If so, you are blessed and an even bigger blessing is coming! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 24, 2010 SOME SECRETS FROM JESUS - PRAYER Matthew 6:6 (NLT) 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut
the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Have you ever listened to people when they pray in public? Some are great orators and
their prayers show it. Some don't think that fast and their prayers show it too. And, when we can't think
fast enough when praying in public, we might just try to fill in with some extra words or repeat things over again because
we are uncomfortable leaving any silence. This may not happen purposefully. It may just be because we feel uncomfortable
praying in public. Jesus gave us something to think about in this regard. Matthew 6:7 (NLT) 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of
other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. The
thing is, God is not deaf and He understands a thing the very first time we say it. In fact, He already knew what we
were going to ask for before we asked for it! Matthew 6:8 (NLT) 8 Don’t be like them, for
your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! He
will not hear and answer us any faster if we keep on repeating things over again. In fact, it just may have the
opposite effect! I am guilty of this at times, even in my private prayer. I will say, "Oh Lord....................and
state a request and then say again, "Oh Lord...................and ask another thing." I forget sometimes
that He calls me, "friend." Now if I were to ask my friend, Barbara, for a few favors, I can guarantee you
that my requests would not go like this: "Oh, dear Barbara, can I please borrow a cup of sugar," and
"Oh, dear Barbara, can you pick up my mail while I'm on vacation," and "Oh, precious Barbara, can you
give me a ride to the doctor?" If I did speak to her that way, she would probably consider checking
with my family to see if I belonged somewhere where I could get some mental help. She knows that I know her name. She
knows that she is very dear to me. If I ask a few favors all at one time, she will not be more likely
to help me out if I go on calling her name over and over again. Because she is my friend, I know that she
will help me out if she possibly can. Because Jesus calls us, "friend," and He intercedes for us before God,
our Father, they will hear us if we talk to them just like we would talk to a friend or a parent here on earth.
We not only know that the Lord is willing to help us out, but that He is able - every single time! Do you want a rewarding prayer life? Then here's a, not so secret, secret
from Jesus. Matthew 6:5 (NLT) 5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love
to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the
reward they will ever get. Even if one is very good at public speaking and the words of his or
her prayer are eloquent and roll off the tongue like butter, impressing all those around them (and possibly intimidating
others who might be called upon to pray and not have such honed speaking skills), God will not be impressed!
How sad to put a whole lot of energy into something when the only reward we will get is that we come away feeling happy
that we were able to spout off some really beautiful words and impress others! God wants to reward us with a much
greater reward than that. When we pray, we are to seek Him in an intimate relationship. This can only be done
by going to that quiet place within our hearts where we bare our deepest needs and desires to Him alone. It is good
to have a quiet place within our home to go where we can shut the door behind us and remain alone with God but that is not
always possible. There may be times during our day when we are out and about; but our needs are great. At
those times we can shut the door of our heart to the world and commune intimately with our Father. In the end, we
will have great reward! He sees you when you are pouring your heart out to him while you are driving to work.
He sees you when you are challenged in school and you silently tell him that you need His help. He sees
you when you are by the bedside of a sick loved one, interceding for them. He, not only sees you, He hears you.
No one else on earth may hear you but God hears and He answers! He will reward you openly for separating yourself
from the chaos of this world and entering that quiet place with Him. Jesus gave us a pattern for prayer (if you will). He helps us know how to speak to our Father. He should
know! He is the Son of God! Thank God, He considers us all to be His brothers and sisters, thus the following:
Matthew 6:9 (NLT) 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
We can be comforted in the fact that Jesus says, "our," Father! I
just learned the other day that part of the meaning of, "holy," is, "unique." "Like no other."
That is surely a good description for the name of our Father! Before we ever start asking for our own
desires, we pray, Matthew 6:10 (NLT) 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven. Following this pattern that Jesus gave us, I am reminded of a discussion Jesus
had with the Pharisees. Luke 17:20-21 (NLT) 20 One day the Pharisees asked
Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected
by visible signs. 21 You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or
‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.” (or is within
you or is within your grasp). If I pray for God's Kingdom to come, I am praying for it to begin in me.
If His Kingdom resides within me, I will certainly want His will to be done here on earth and in my life, just as He does
His perfect will in Heaven. Then, when my own will has come into line with His will, I am ready to begin my requests
for sustenance (and not just for me but for others too). It is God's desire to give us our daily spiritual and
physical food. Matthew 6:11 (NLT) 11 Give us today the food we need, Because I
(and you) can miss the mark (or sin), even in ignorance, we need to pray for forgiveness while we purposefully
forgive those who have done us wrong (although they may not be aware that they have offended us and they may not have
asked for our forgiveness). Matthew 6:12 (NLT) 12 and forgive us our sins, as
we have forgiven those who sin against us. Then comes the request that none of us be allowed to
yield to the temptations that constantly surround us. Rather, that God would deliver us from our enemy who is relentlessly
trying to lure us toward those temptations. Matthew 6:13 (NLT) 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from
the evil one. Here, the King James Version says that the Kingdom and the power and the glory belong
to God. Matthew 6:13 (KJV) 13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. I
like to close the prayer with these words because it brings me right back to the focal point at the beginning of the prayer
which is God. It's not about me. It's about God and it's about us! I guess that is why Jesus closes
this section with a pretty thought-provoking statement about forgiveness. Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT) 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly
Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will
not forgive your sins. With these things in mind, what is the secret that Jesus gives us about prayer?
The secret is that it should be done in secret! It is no secret what God can do. And, He will reward you openly
if you will take the time to talk to Him intimately and in private! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 23, 2010 SOME SECRETS FROM JESUS - GIVING Deuteronomy 15:10-11 (NLT) We probably all remember the saying, "It is better to give than to receive." Acts 20:35 (NLT) ...... You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’” Looking back at Deuteronomy 15:10-11, we see that God's plan has always been for us to give to the poor. And not just give, but give generously.
I saw a film clip the other day about giving. There was a person sorting out things that people from the church
had donated for the poor. The person who was sorting was looking at each item and deciding whether to keep it for himself or
go ahead and give it to the poor. If a piece of clothing had a stain or a hole on it, he gave it. If it looked
good, he kept it. Going through the food, he gave away all the cans of spinach and lima beans and kept the cans
of tuna and other things that looked good. This was supposed to show us that sometimes we do not give generously to
the poor, but rather, we give what is damaged, not very tasty, and not wanted by anyone else. I don't think that's
what God had in mind when He told the people to give generously to the poor. To give without wishing we could
keep what we're giving away. This is hard to do! When we acquire things, sometimes we get a broken heart when God
asks us to give certain things away. However, the promise that goes with giving generously, and being happy to
do it, is that God will bless us in everything we do! I doubt that any of us would turn down God's blessing in
everything we do! Jesus gave us a secret about giving.
Yes, we are to do it. And do it generously! But Jesus explained to us that, when we do it openly and let everyone
know about it, we lose the reward. Matthew 6:1 (NLT) 1 “Watch out! Don’t
do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. How
we give may reveal our motive for giving. Jesus called the people of His day hypocrites if they called attention
to their giving. Matthew 6:2 (NLT) 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t
do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity!
I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. It is nice to get attention
but when we get that attention because we are flaunting the fact that we have given, it's really possible that our motive
was not to alleviate someone else's lack but to make ourselves important in the eyes of others. This may work and others
may laud our generosity; but Jesus said that this sort of "announcement," will cause us to lose the
reward. Would you rather get a temporary earthly reward from people or receive an eternal reward from
the Lord? God has promised to bless the giver in all he or she does; but God's desire is a giver that is motivated
by compassion and love, rather than the praise of those around them. Jesus said that, if we receive that temporary
reward, we have forfeited the better reward. The reward that comes from the Father. Jesus went on to say
the following: Matthew 6:3 (NLT) 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t
let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Don't even stop to think about how it looks.
Just do it with no expectation of anything in return! Here's
the secret that Jesus gives us about giving. It should be done in secret. Matthew 6:4 (NLT) 4 Give your gifts in private, and
your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. The secret is to do it in secret! Not
in plain view of those around us. Since God is able to see, and He is watching out over, everything every
one of us is doing, He will see the one who gives from their heart out of love. He will see the one who doesn't care
whether they get a, "thank you." He will see the one that just casts that bread on the water without reservation.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 (TLB) 1 Give generously, for your gifts
will return to you later. 2 Divide your gifts among many, for in the days ahead you
yourself may need much help. There are many places in scripture where the Lord talks about
generous giving. Here's one from Proverbs 31:20 (AMP) 20
She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or
spirit]. Here the scriptures are describing that "Proverbs 31," woman. The one who has
it all together and whose price is far above that of jewels, including rubies and pearls! This woman is going
about her business and doing many things in life and, in the course of her business, she doesn't forget to give.
However, she's too busy to stop and make a big deal about it. She just does it because she's a virtuous woman!
And that woman gets a reward. Proverbs 31:30 (AMP) 30 Charm and grace are deceptive,
and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be
praised! God gives her the reward because she has shown that she has reverence toward Him
by the way she gives to others. The Psalmist tells us of the person that gives generously.
Psalm 112:5-9 (GW) 5 All goes well for the person who
is generous and lends willingly. He earns an honest living. 6 He will never
fail. A righteous person will always be remembered. 7 He is not afraid of bad news.
His heart remains secure, full of confidence in the LORD. 8 His heart is steady,
and he is not afraid. In the end he will look triumphantly at his enemies. 9 He gives
freely to poor people. His righteousness continues forever. His head is raised in honor. One thing I
notice about this particular person is that he earns an honest living. When someone is busy earning an honest
living, he or she will not have time to call attention to their giving. Like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, they will just give generously and lend willingly. The secret to giving is that it is done in secret. This
may not be a contrived secrecy. It just may be that our giving should flow freely without our even thinking about it.
Without any thought to the outcome except that, like the person in Psalm 112, we are living with our confidence in the Lord. Whatever we do in the way of giving, without bringing attention to
the gift, will be rewarded openly by the Lord in whom we place our confidence! Is giving to the needy (whether
the need concerns the body, mind, or spirit), an everyday affair in our lives even though it may not be seen by others?
God does see. He does notice. The reward comes from Him! Now, don't you just
want to find someone in need to whom you can give without anyone knowing it? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 22, 2010 EVEN TEACHERS MAKE MISTAKES! James 3:2 (NLT) I
love to hear a good Bible teacher open up the Word, don't you? Even though I love to study the Bible, I never really
wanted to be a teacher because James says they will be judged more strictly. I guess that is logical, since, if we
teach someone a wrong principle, it will impact their lives, as well as the lives they touch. James 3:1 (NLT) 1 Dear brothers and sisters, not
many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. James
also tells us that we all make many mistakes. That includes teachers. That is why we must study for
ourselves. It is good to listen to teachers and then it is good to take what we hear back to The Teacher, the
Word of God and see if what we have heard is accurate. Acts 17:11 (NIV) 11 Now the Bereans were of more
noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every
day to see if what Paul said was true. There are so many Bible teachers that we can listen to. One
thing we need to remember is that they are just people. They grow and develop over time in their spiritual walk and
their knowledge just like we do. All of them are capable of making mistakes. The sad thing is that, once words
are spoken, they cannot be taken back. Words seem to want
to fly from our tongues! Even though the tongue is so small it's words sometimes come from a big head. A head
that has grandiose ideas about itself and full of pride. This can come so subtly when we get more and more knowledge
about the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 8:1 (NLT) ....But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens
the church. The more knowledge we get, the more self-confident and proud we can get, until our knowledge
is what defines us. We may even get to the point where we say a lot of things, counting on our own knowledge instead
of the Holy Spirit's leading. When we obtain a lot of knowledge, it may cause us to look down on those who do not have
so much knowledge. Knowledge is not a bad thing but James says that it is love that strengthens the
church! At some point, it may be that we will actually begin to say bad things about others instead of building them
up. James 3:9 (NLT) 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord
and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. If we get so full of Biblical
knowledge that we begin to look down on others, we have missed the point (Paul, telling us that love is the point in I Corinthians 8:1) and our little tongues will get us into big trouble. These tongues of ours were made to praise God!
They were made to speak encouragement, edification, and loving correction to those around us. But here's what happens
if we don't keep a close watch on our tongues. James 3:10 (NLT) 10 And so blessing and cursing
come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! I think
we can all agree with James that blessing and cursing should not pour from the same mouth! When it does, it only
proves that we are double minded (which makes us unstable in all of our ways). Jesus said that whatever is in the heart
will come out of the mouth. I'm deducting, from this, that the only way to control our tongue is to guard our heart! When we boast or lie, those words come off of our tongues but they
have come from a much deeper source. James 3:14 (NLT) 14 But if you are bitterly jealous
and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. It
is the condition of our heart that will get us into trouble with our tongue. Is there any bitterness? Any
jealousy? Any selfish ambition? Do any of these things reside in our hearts? When they do, we tend to try
to cover it up and this is usually done by boasting and lying. The better thing to do would be to use our tongue to admit
or confess it and be transparent. That way, there won't be a poison pool in our hearts from which our tongue can draw, leading
us into boasting, lying, cursing, etc. When we have been forgiven by the Lord, we will then have nothing on our tongues
but thanksgiving and blessing. Blessing to God and blessing to others. Since we are all human, we're all
prone to slipping and making mistakes. Even teachers! Perhaps teachers have to watch out even more that they
don't get prideful of the knowledge that God has allowed them to gather. They also have to keep in mind that they are
held to a higher standard than the one who doesn't have all that knowledge and is needing to be taught. Whether or
not we are a teacher, we're all called to use wisdom from above. To let Godly wisdom control what we say. This
is what that Godly wisdom looks like in action. James 3:17 (NLT) 17 But the wisdom from above is
first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and
good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. Thinking about the words we have said lately
and the deeds we have done, how do they compare with what James spells out in James 3:17? We all make mistakes and we all have things in our hearts that will eventually come out of our
mouth. I believe God allows the bad things to come out when we're ready to acknowledge that we really did have that
evil word hiding in our heart all along. I believe it is a mercy for Him to let it come out so that He can bring healing
to the root of whatever caused us to speak such a thing. And, I believe, like James, that God is wanting
to make all of our words and deeds loving and peacemaking. James 3:18 (NLT) 18 And those who are peacemakers
will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Maybe you have had a teacher that taught
you something in error. Will you plant seeds of peace, knowing that even teachers make mistakes? Perhaps you
find your own life riddled with mistakes. It's not too late to plant seeds of peace because God promises that you will
reap a harvest of righteousness. Everybody likes a good harvest! We've all made many mistakes, but it's
time get back on the right track. To plant some seeds of peace, in love, having faith in God's promise that
our harvest will be good. A harvest worthy of being given back to God as a thank offering for His forgiveness and
grace! We can't take back the words we have already spoken but we can begin to, from a pure heart and through the leading
of the Holy Spirit, begin to sow with the good seeds of blessing! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 21, 2010 IS IT TIME TO GET OUT THE PLOW? Jeremiah 4:3 (NLT) Jeremiah
had a message from the Lord for the people of Judah and Jerusalem. As I read Jeremiah 4:3, I'm taking out the words, "people of Judah and Jerusalem," and replacing them with my own name. There is
always a danger that we will lose our childlike faith along the journey of life as pain and hurts cause us to perhaps
gather in some resentment and bitterness and then put up walls around our hearts so that we cannot be hurt again.
In this case, the ground in our hearts may have become hard because we have not constantly watered it with the Word
so that the good seed of the Word of God could grow there. In any case, it is not a good thing for us to
have any hard ground in our hearts! When that happens, only weeds can grow and that is certainly not what God wants,
nor do we really want that! Today, if the Lord should reveal any areas in your heart where the ground has gotten hard
and filled with stones, will you let Him help you plow it up and then keep it watered with the water of His Word so the seed
of His Word can grow freely and produce a good harvest? I
notice that Jeremiah tells the people to surrender their pride and power. Isn't our world full of that? Because
we have to live in this world, we might ask ourselves if any of that has seeped into our hearts. If so, we need to
surrender it to the Lord. Jeremiah told the people to change their hearts before the Lord. Jeremiah 4:4 (NLT) 4 O people of Judah and Jerusalem,
surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because
of all your sins. When the ground of our hearts gets hard, sin is inevitable. We no longer have
a heart bent toward God's will. Our compassion for others will be gone. Our desire to be obedient to God's
Word will disappear and there will be nothing to keep us from falling prey to sin. Jesus said it this way. Matthew 4:17 (ASV) 17 From that time began Jesus to
preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We may tend to think that when we were born again, we plowed up the ground of our hearts. And that
may be true. However, a farmer who plants crops doesn't just plow once and never do it again. Once a harvest
has been gathered, or if the ground has been dormant for a while, it has to be plowed again. Is it time for us to
break out the plow again and break up the ground in our hearts? To remove all the weeds and thorns? Then is it
to make new furrows and sow more of God's Word into the freshly plowed fertile soil? Jesus gave us a good
example of the good soil needed to produce a good harvest. Matthew 13:18-19 (NLT) 19 The
seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then
the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. Do you feel as though
your heart has footpaths in it where people have walked over and over it again until it got hard in places? Give those
footpaths to the Lord and let Him heal your hurts so you can make that ground ready again for planting. The more footpath's
you have in your heart, the more the enemy will steal away from you and you will not grow in the Lord. Matthew 18:20-21 (NLT) MORNING MANNA - MARCH 20, 2010 HARD HEARTS - A BREEDING GROUND FOR SIN John 12:10-11 (TLB) When you think of the words, "chief priests," what do
you think of? When you think of the word, "pastor," what do you think of? When you think of other
words such as, "bishop," "apostle," and "evangelist," what do you think of? What I think
is that most of us would like to think that each of these words have a good connotation. And, they do, in the purest
sense. Unfortunately, even those with religious titles and positions can have hearts that are hardened. That's
the way the chief priests were in the days that Jesus walked on the earth. They had placed their positions and their
religious, "practices," above their relationship with the God they were supposed to be serving. Instead
of being servant leaders, in their pride, they had built their own, "kingdom," of sorts and they weren't about
to let the King of Kings interfere with that. In the hardness of their hearts, they were looking for anything they
could use to bring accusation against Jesus. How like the devil they were! Job 2:1 (GW) 1 One day when the sons of God came
to stand in front of the LORD, Satan the Accuser came along with them. Satan always stands ready to accuse
anyone who believes in Jesus. Of course, those accusations may or may not be true. For the most part, they are
purely false. We know where they come from and we know that Satan, for sure, has a very hard heart. He will try to
get us to join his kingdom of darkness and then he will turn right around and use, abuse, and destroy us. That's a
pretty hard heart! There was a man named Lazarus that lived
in Bethany. Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, happened to be good friends of Jesus. It happened one
day that Lazarus got sick. John 11:1 (GW) 1 Lazarus, who lived
in Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived, was sick. His sisters knew exactly
Who to call. John 11:3 (GW) 3 So the sisters sent
a messenger to tell Jesus, “Lord, your close friend is sick.” Jesus got the message
and assured those around Him that Lazarus would not die but that the sickness would end up bringing glory to God.
John 11:4 (GW) 4 When Jesus heard the message,
he said, “His sickness won't result in death. Instead, this sickness will bring glory to God so that the Son of God
will receive glory through it.” Jesus had a plan. It was a plan that would be good
for Lazarus and his sisters and good for Jesus and His Father. It was a plan for life, not death! Much different
than the plans of the, "chief priests." Aren't you glad that we have a "High Priest," who always
has plans to give us life? John 10:10 (GW) 10 A thief comes to steal, kill,
and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need. Just
as Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, He loves you and me. John 11:5 (GW) 5 Jesus loved Martha, her sister,
and Lazarus. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if those watching Jesus to see what He would do got a
bit confused. It looked like Jesus didn't care. It looked as though He might have a hard heart. John 11:5-6 (GW) 5
Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6 Yet, when Jesus
heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. Have you ever felt that perhaps Jesus
didn't really love you because He didn't show up when you expected Him to show up? Have you ever been tempted to think
that perhaps Jesus has a hard heart when you can't see Him during a time of suffering? I guess these are natural thoughts
but the supernatural thing to do is reject them! If we entertain them for very long, it is our own hearts that will
be hardened! Jesus knew about everyone around Him and He
knew whose hearts were hard and who was out to kill him. His timing was perfect. He knew exactly where
to be and when to be there so that He could accomplish the Father's plan for Him. Even in doing this, His heart remained compassionate toward
His friends. He did not let the pressures around Him harden His heart. I don't mind telling you, I want to follow
that example! But, He is revealing to me just how much I get caught up in putting out the fires from this
world and, in doing so, let my heart become a bit more hardened toward the needs of the people around me. Well, finally,
Jesus spoke to His disciples about Lazarus. John 11:11 (GW) 11 After Jesus said this, he told
his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, and I'm going to Bethany to wake him.” Finally
Jesus was going to do something! But, His disciples were still a bit confused. Um, why would you take a trip just
to wake up your friend who was taking a nice restorative nap? John 11:12 (GW) 12 His disciples said to him, “Lord,
if he's sleeping, he'll get well.” I wonder if, when Jesus heard their take on the situation
He said in His mind, "Duh!" He, as usual was more gracious than that. He didn't say to them, "You
just don't get it do you?" He just plainly told them the truth. John 11:14 (GW) 14 Then Jesus told them plainly,
“Lazarus has died, Again, the disciples may have wondered why Jesus had let Lazarus die and why
He said the following; John 11:15 (GW) 15 but I'm glad that I wasn't there
so that you can grow in faith. Let's go to Lazarus.” Most of us know the rest of the story
but, if you don't, I'll tell you. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the grave for four days!
Jesus did not have a hard heart. He wept with the rest of them even though He knew he was going to raise Lazarus. Soon
after this, Jesus went to Bethany again and the chief priests were just waiting for a chance to get Him. This was
hard-hearted enough. Why would you want to bring accusation against a man who could, not only heal but, raise the dead?
The chief priests, whose real duty it was to take care of God's flock, instead had become so hard-hearted that they wanted
to kill His sheep. Lazarus was living proof that Jesus had the power of life and death in His Words. Because
of the hardness of their hearts, the "chief priests," had become the chiefest of sinners. They were going
to kill a man just because he was the evidence that Jesus truly is Lord. We can be so interested in our own little,
"kingdoms," that we overlook the needs of those around us and let our hearts become breeding grounds
for sin just like the chief priests back then. Or, we can fall on our face before the Lord and ask Him for pliable, unselfish,
and caring hearts. Hearts that do not breed sin, but breed love. Which one will we choose this morning?
Psalm 51:10 (TLB) 10 Create in me a new, clean heart,
O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires. MORNING MANNA - MARCH 19, 2010 HARDENED HEARTS Mark 3:5 (KJV) I am very excited to write what I'm about to write. Have you ever felt like maybe you were at a standstill,
especially in your relationship with the Lord? Oh, you know a lot about His Word. It is your sincere desire to
follow Him. You care about others. But, still, you feel a small gnawing down deep inside. Like maybe you're
still missing something. Or, maybe, in all your zeal, you lost something along the way. That's the way I have
been feeling recently. Now, feelings are not always accurate but, when God is dealing with your heart, He is painfully
accurate! I've been praying lately that God would show me how to really feel the way I felt years ago when
I read about Jesus dying on the cross for me. Oh, I used to weep every single time. I hated to read
that part in the Bible because my heart would break more every time I read it. But then, somehow, I got used to reading
it. I got used to seeing the pictures of the crucifixion they put into books and movies. No longer does
my heart feel like it is re-broken to the point of causing me to weep. No longer am I stirred up inside because
I know the story so well. You know, we don't start out intending to let hardness enter our hearts but, even those of
us who desire to please the Lord, can be afflicted by hardened hearts. I'm excited because I prayed that the Lord
would let me realize deeply, once again, how much He paid for me to be set free. (you too!). He truly
does hear our prayers and He truly does answer. As I was listening for His answer to my prayer, I heard a message about
hardened hearts and I got a new revelation. I will try to share it with you and pray that the Lord will do the delivering. Once, during the days that Jesus walked on this earth, He was in the synagogue. It
was the Sabbath Day. Of course, I'm sure all of the good Jewish leaders were there too because, "that was
the proper thing to do." You would think that one would find sanctuary in the house of God, wouldn't you?
You would think that one could find acceptance and healing? There was a man in there on that day with a withered
hand. Oh my goodness, this man was in the right place at the right time! The Jewish leaders were all excited
because they knew Jesus could heal and they sure wanted this man to be made whole. They really cared! NO!
They didn't. They were only there to feel good about themselves and to judge Jesus! They were there
to carry out the law! If Jesus worked by healing this man on the Sabbath day, they could then bring charges against
Him. Mark 3:2 (NLT) 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’
enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. On the other hand, Jesus was there to fulfill the law. Those, "spiritual leaders," of the
people were mighty proud of themselves. After all, they did everything right - right down to keeping the letter
of the law! But, their own hearts had deceived them. Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT) 9
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad
it is? Well, the more their proud hearts deceived them, the harder their hearts became! Don't you
know that the enemy is trying that same tactic today on us? We are so blessed to have churches on every corner and
the opportunity to find the Lord's Word through publications, radio programs, CD's, DVD's and TV programs. If
we want to know about God's Word we, especially in America, have no excuse for not finding it! Perhaps the flip side
of this blessing is the familiarity we have with the Word of God? When we think we know it, do we kind of take
it for granted? Do we pride ourselves on even being able to teach it? Are we thrilled that we can recite scripture
verse after scripture verse? Do we sometimes even think when we hear a sermon, "I wish so-and-so were here to
hear this; they really need this"? Well, Jesus
saw the man in need of having his withered hand healed and He told the man to step right up where everyone present
could see him. Mark 3:3 (NLT) 3 Jesus said to the man, “Come
and stand in front of everyone.” When Jesus went into the synagogue, He didn't notice all
the leaders in their fine clothes, pious faces, and interest in the letter of the law. He noticed someone that was
needy and broken. He knew that these leaders were out to trick Him into doing something for which they could criticize
and destroy Him. But, His heart was not hard. It was reaching out toward the one who really needed Him.
The leaders had forgotten their need for God because they were so proud of knowing everything and doing everything right
(at least in front of others). Then Jesus asked the leaders a pointed question: Mark 3:4 (NLT) 4 Then he turned to his critics
and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life
or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. We read here that they wouldn't answer
Him. Here's what happened next: Mark 3:5 (NLT) He looked around at them angrily
and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held
out his hand, and it was restored! I doubt that the man could stretch out
his hand before this time, since it was withered, but when Jesus told him to do it, he did it! Right
there in front of all those leaders! The needy man was made whole, while those who thought they had no need remained
empty! What I heard from this today was that Jesus looked around angrily at the leaders of the people, the very ones
who should have had a heart for God and for the people. He was angry! He was grieved! Talk about mixed
emotions! Let's remember that our Savior experienced mixed emotions just like we do! He was angry (to the point
of abhorrence and wrath) and at the same time grieved (so very, very sorry). It was not because of their sin (although
they were sinning). It was because of the hardness of their hearts! Jesus can save a sinner. He's the
Savior. But, He cannot and will not penetrate a heart that is intent on remaining hard. Although they knew
the scriptures, their hearts had become calloused by it, instead of softened by it. In all of their knowledge,
their hearts had become stupid! They no longer had hearts with a vision for God's Word (even though they
were thoroughly familiar with it). Their hearts had been blinded. That's what hardness of heart is. I'm
sure they didn't mean to become that way but their religion had gotten in the way of their relationship with God!
Even though we chide these leaders in sermons today, how many of us are guilty of the same thing? I'm thankful for
this revelation because I see that, with all of my reading and studying, my heart had become so familiar with God's Word
that it was becoming hardened! I want to weep unashamedly and be touched every time I read or hear the story of
my Savior. I don't want Him to look at me in anger because my heart is hard; I want to have a heart so pliable
that all I can see is His loving and forgiving eyes. Is that your desire too? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 18, 2010 STUDY TO BE QUIET 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (KJV) Have you ever noticed that it takes more faith
and more confidence to be quiet than it does to just react to a situation with all kinds of words? The Lord has been
working with me on being quiet. That's not an easy task for Him or for me! When I was a child, I was extremely
shy and hardly ever said a word. When I realized that Jesus had set me free, my mouth went for it! Now, I talk
too much! I was apprehended by the fact that 1 Thessalonians 4:11 says, "study to be quiet." For me, that sort of study is necessary! If I don't
really think about things and pray about things, I will just say something! There have been times, probably many of
them, when the thing I said was not the right thing to say. In all of our studying to be quiet, it's good to take heed
to the following: Proverbs 18:21 (GW) 21 The tongue has the power of life
and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words. If we're going to have to eat
our own words, we'd best be speaking words of life! Our words should be edifying. They should reflect
our Father. Psalm 119:103 (AMP) 103 How sweet are Your words to
my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! The word, "study," in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, means to, "aim for," or "strive for." It's about being ambitious to make something happen.
Is it your aim to be quiet? There are times when
we should be quiet and times when we're supposed to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7 (NLT) 7 A time to tear and a time to
mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. It's hardest to be quiet when being quiet is the best thing.
Jesus, in His last day of life, chose to be quiet. Isaiah 53:7 (MSG) 7 He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. When
we are being persecuted or accused, our first reaction is probably to try to defend ourselves. That is not what
Jesus did, even at the cost of being misunderstood and then crucified. Luke 23:8-9 (NLT) 8 Herod
was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see
him perform a miracle. 9 He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused
to answer. Jesus, in this situation was an example for us of being quiet when everything around
us is screaming and, inside, we may be screaming too. He was the perfect example of quiet confidence. He knew that
His destiny was to die on the cross for our sins. I'm sure that, in His humanity, He felt compelled to defend Himself,
just was we would want to do when accused. But, He, as the song says, "........never said a mumbling word.
Not a word!" When you are accused or persecuted without cause and everything in you wants to defend yourself,
will you keep quiet instead? Is your confidence in the Lord so powerful that, like Jesus, you don't say a "mumbling
(or defensive) word?" When I checked out the word, "quiet," I discovered that it meant,
not only speech, but also to refrain from labor and from meddling in other people's business! It means to hold
your peace. To rest. To keep still! And, to live quietly. It could be that the times we're most
tempted to speak are exactly the times when we should be quiet! It is interesting that the Lord wanted to give the people
of Judah rest and peace. He wanted them to be saved. Here's the way He wanted them to do it.
Isaiah 30:15 (NLT) 15 This is what the Sovereign LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence
is your strength. But you would have none of it. There was just one problem. The people would
have none of that. No! They had to meddle. They couldn't just be quiet and confidently let God handle their
lives. Will we? They could have been stronger than strong if they would have been quietly confident. God's
principles are the same today. It is in quiet confidence in Him that we will find our strength. I am weak!
I need His strength. If I will be quiet long enough and be confident that, because God is for me, no one can be against
me, God will strengthen me! If I insist on talking too much, only one thing will happen. All my energy will be
used up! Romans 8:31-34 (NLT) 31 What shall we say about such
wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since
he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given
us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ
Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading
for us. The devil will accuse us. That's his specialty. He may use people or he may just present
thoughts of insecurity and fear. In either case, God says that nobody can accuse or condemn us. The truth
is that God has given us right standing with Himself. That's all that really matters. That should be enough
to make me stand quietly and confidently with all of my trust placed in God! I'm trying to stop talking so much
because I have a feeling that God feels like He can't get a word in edgewise. And, after all, His are the only Words
that can heal and save! When I'm quiet, I can hear them and my confidence in Him grows! Shall we study to be
quiet? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 17, 2010 WAITING CONFIDENTLY 1 Samuel 13:8 (TLB) If you're like me, waiting is difficult. I want everything right
now! I get impatient when the microwave takes one minute to warm my lunch. I get impatient when the Internet
takes too long to go from one page to another. I don't like waiting in lines. I don't like waiting in doctor's
offices (especially when they take you back to a lonely room and there's nothing to do). I don't even like waiting
and trying to go to sleep! When I want to go to sleep and I have to wait, I'm irritated! But, God has been speaking
to me about waiting lately. I have learned that, even if I have not taken a book with me for those waits in doctor's
offices, I can turn that little room into a prayer closet and, as the song says, "have a little talk with Jesus."
I can tell Him all about my troubles (including the fact that I don't like waiting!). Waiting is not wasted time if
you are a child of God. For one thing, He's right there with you while you're waiting! What could be better than
that! He may have something He wants to say to you during that time so it's good to have listening ears instead of
an irritated and complaining mindset. Waiting may seem useless to us, but it could be God's mode of protection.
Someone once told me of how they got caught in traffic on the way to the airport to board a plane. They were a bit
irritated about having to wait and being inconvenienced by the fact that they weren't going to get to their destination at
the time they planned. Irritated about the inconvenience of having to book another flight. Unfortunately,
the plane they were supposed to get on in the first place crashed and everyone lost their lives. We can't always see reasons
for having to wait, but God does have His reasons! When we are a child of God, waiting always has a purpose.
We may not see it, but He sees it and, in His mercy, He moves in those moments of waiting. I guess my question to myself is, "Will I wait confidently, even though I can't see what God is doing?"
And, "Will I wait without complaining?" Will I wait with open eyes and ears so that, when God does reveal
something, I won't be complaining so loudly that I can't hear Him? Will I be so focused on my insistence
on my agenda that I will completely miss God? God's agenda and His ways are always the best. I can see that when
I look at the story of King Saul. Saul was in a war. You and I are in a war too, against principalities
and powers that we cannot see. Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT) 10 A final word: Be strong in the
Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s
armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For
we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against
mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Since we can't see
everything with our own eyes, the timing must be left to the Lord. His timing is always perfect. He's not in
a hurry either! King Saul was told by the Lord, through the prophet Samuel, to wait. He was to wait for
seven days right where he was for Samuel to return and offer sacrifices to the Lord. But, Saul looked around and saw
the following: 1 Samuel 13:7 (NLT) .... Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. I'm
pretty sure that Saul, himself, was getting pretty scared because of the might and power of the Philistine army that was
itching to pounce on Saul and the Israelites. And then, he looked at his fighting men who didn't look much like fighting
men, but more like scared kittens. Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for seven days. It was the seventh
day and Saul got impatient. Have you ever waited on God and then, maybe at the last minute, decided to take care of
things yourself? That's what Saul did. He was not given the authority by God to offer sacrifices.
He just took it because he felt he had waited long enough. 1 Samuel 13:9 (NLT) 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering
and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. It could be that you have been waiting a long time for the Lord to do something in your life. You
look around and see that things don't look good. The enemy has been jeering at you and taunting you with thoughts that
you didn't hear God right. Or, that God is really not going to do what He said. Others around you may be
giving up the fight and running like scared children to the ways of the world, thinking they are getting away from the
enemy. How sad that is because the enemy has just deceived them into thinking they are getting away from him when
actually he has lured them into a place of destruction! All of these things can cause us to turn away from waiting
confidently in the Lord. How gleeful the enemy must be when we wait right up to the last minute and then lose
heart and take things into our own hands, forfeiting all the blessing that God is about to pour out on us. Look at
what happened to Saul. 1 Samuel 13:10-11 (NLT) 10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering,
Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said,
“What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive
when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. Samuel did
return on the seventh day but Saul didn't wait until the end of the seventh day. Not only that, Saul made excuses
for himself and even accused Samuel of not being on time. When we tire of waiting and take things into our own hands,
it may be just the moment before God would have taken care of it in His way, which, of course, is going to be the best
way! If that happens, we need to admit our failure, repent and receive God's forgiveness. Then, we need to make
a decision to confidently wait on the Lord, trusting His timing. Saul accused Samuel
of not arriving on time. In essence, Saul was telling God, "You didn't arrive on time." Fear made
Saul lose his confidence in waiting on the Lord. 1 Samuel 13:12 (NLT) 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready
to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the LORD’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer
the burnt offering myself before you came.” Saul said, "I," three times in 1 Samuel 13:12. That pretty much tells us that his confidence had fallen away from the Lord an onto himself. What did
it do for him? 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NLT) 13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed.
“You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom
over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out
a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept
the LORD’s command.” Saul lost the kingdom of Israel forever! He lost it because he
was not confident enough to wait and keep the Lord's command. He was compelled to do something in a hurry when he should
have been willing to confidently wait for Samuel. What is tempting you to give up this morning and not wait on the
Lord? You may have to wait until the eleventh hour just as Saul should have done. Let's take a lesson
from Saul and be willing to confidently wait on the Lord, no matter how big the enemy seems, no matter how tempting his
suggestions are and no matter what others around us are doing! God is never late! He's always
right on time. Waiting may be hard sometimes but, it's worth the wait, when our confidence is in God! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 16, 2010 CONFIDENCE IN THE HEART OF GOD Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) Several years ago, a song came out with the lyrics, "When you can't trace
His hand, trust His heart." This may be a time in your life when, for the life of you, you can't trace God's
hand. Everything around you may seem like a blurry dream - even a nightmare! Where is God in all of this?
He doesn't appear to be present. Why is He allowing things to go wrong? Why are people that we thought had it
all together suddenly tottering on the brink of falling apart? Doesn't God have a heart for His children? Well,
first of all, we need to be sure that we truly are His children and then we can ask that question again.
There is only one way to become a child of God and that is through the blood of Jesus. John 14:6 (NLT) 6 Jesus told him, “I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. This morning, you can
become a child of God. If you have never done so by asking Jesus to be your Savior, agreeing with Him that you
have sinned, repenting of that sin, and then receiving the free gift of eternal life, you can do it right this minute. God
already has you on His heart. He gave that which was closest to His heart to die for you before you ever even
recognized that you were lost in sin and away from God. Romans 5:8-11 (NLT) 8 But God showed his great love
for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since
we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we
were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So
now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. If
you were not a child of God before reading this, I pray that you are now because you have asked Jesus into your heart.
If you did that, you can now know that God has a heart for you. And, you can trust His heart! For those who have just believed, and for us who have believed for
years, there will be times when we can't trace God's hand moving in our lives. Times when everything around us
screams that God is not in control and that we can't put our confidence in Him. It is in those times that we need
to gird up our minds and let our faith tell us that, even though we can't trace His hand, we can
trust His heart! After all, He gave up His own perfect Son for us when we were still His enemies! We can
deduct from this that He really does have a heart for us and it is a heart than can be trusted. We are loved
so much that God would give just about anything for us to help us get back to a right relationship with Him. And
He did give up Heaven's best for you and for me even though He knew we might not receive the gift! John 3:16-21 (NLT) 16 “For God loved the world
so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world
through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But
anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people
loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do
evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But
those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” Can't
you just see into the depths of God's heart here! He sent His perfect Son to die for us. He did not send
the judgment and condemnation we deserved! Some will ignore this heart of love that God has for them and they will
be judged. But, right now, we can receive God's love for us and enjoy His Light in our lives. This
is enough to let us know that, despite any outward circumstances, our confidence can safely be placed in God's
heart of love. But, there is more. In this life, it's
easy to slip up and get caught in some sort of bondage. That happened to the Israelites over and over again.
Jeremiah 29:11 is spoken to them while they are in captivity! God's hand will not stop us from going our own
sinful and selfish ways but, when we come to our senses, like the prodigal son did in Luke 15:11-32, God has some plans for us! It's in His heart to want to give good gifts to His children!
Matthew 7:11 (GW) 11 Even though you're evil, you
know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask
him? Today, and every day, we can place our confidence in the fact that God's heart toward us is overflowing
with love and the desire of His heart is to give good gifts to His children (of which you and I are one). The trouble
with believing this is that troubles will come! That's because we live in a world of sin and because God
will not force anyone to follow Him. He's not into controlling us. He's into loving us so much that all we want
to do is follow Him! If you are following Him and you have family members or friends who have lost their
way, don't give up! Just keep on following His heart of love and letting that love pour out to those who need
it most. Have confidence in God's heart! You may not be able to trace His hand at the moment.
In fact, the only thing you may be seeing is the hand of the enemy hard at work trying to bring death and destruction,
confusion and chaos. It's time to trust God's heart! He has good plans for you and me and all those who will
come to Him. He has a hope and a future for us. His heart has plans to perfect everything that concerns
you and me. What concerns you this morning? Trust in God's heart! Psalm 138:8 (NLT) 8 The LORD will work
out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. The
Psalmist said to God, "Don't abandon me, for you made me." Today, we have the assurance of God that He's
not going to abandon us! Hebrews 13:5-6 (NRSV) 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money,
and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 6 So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can
anyone do to me?" When our confidence is placed in nothing but God's heart, whether or not we can
see His hand at work, we have the promise that He's right there with us. He has promised the victory over the things
of this world that would try to overcome us because Jesus has already overcome the world! John 16:33 (NLT) 33 I have told you all this so that you may have
peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Is
this a time in your life when you are having trouble tracing God's loving hand in your life? If so, you can trust
His heart! You can "take heart." Jesus has overcome the world and it's His pleasure to give you
His peace as you place your confidence in His heart of love. MORNING MANNA - MARCH 15, 2010 HOW ABOUT THAT ABRAHAM? Genesis 22:5 (NLT) One thing that consoles me about scripture is that what we see are real people! People just like
ourselves who have questions, troubles, heartaches and struggles. Abraham was no different and sometimes, even Abraham,
did not act as though his confidence was in God! Genesis 12:11-13 (NLT) 11 As he was approaching the border
of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman. 12
When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have
her!’ 13 So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare
my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.” Yes, we read it right! Abraham's
confidence in God was so shaken when traveling through Egypt that he used his wife to save his own skin. He asked
her to lie (and not just this once) in order to protect him. Pretty bad on Abram's part (he was still called Abram
but later on, after he learned a few things, God changed his name to Abraham). Can you imagine how Sarah felt?
(Her name was Sarai at the time and then God changed her name, as well, after she had learned a few things herself).
Brave Abraham put her in danger by having her lie to the Egyptians about being his sister instead of his wife! I wonder
how God sees us when it comes to our confidence in Him. Our faith that, no matter what things look like,
He will never break a promise, He will never leave or forsake us, His Word never fails, and He has promised to
deliver us, etc., etc. The nice thing is that we can see that Abraham and Sarah did not stay in this place.
As they journeyed further, their faith and confidence in God seemed to grow. Abraham waited a long time for the son that God promised him. He and Sarah even showed a lack of
confidence in God's promise when Sarah decided that it was time for Abraham to have a child by her handmaiden. After
all, they waited and God didn't come through so it was time to help God. Genesis 16:1-3 (NLT) 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife,
had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2
So Sarai said to Abram, “The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant.
Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3
So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened
ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) It just occurred to me that Sarai said
that the Lord had restrained her from having children (KJV). How's that for having a lack of confidence in God and
then indirectly blaming God for your own poor decision? Have you ever done that?
Have you ever started out believing that God would come through for you and then gotten tired of waiting? You decided
to take care of the matter yourself. How did that work out for you? I've done that and I can truly say that it
didn't work out really well for me. To this day, I have regret over having taken things into my own
hands and not waiting for God's deliverance about one particularly sad incident. However, there have been
lots of other small situations where I have done it again and again! If you've done that too, we can both be encouraged
because God did not give up on Abraham and Sarah. Yes, there were consequences for them losing confidence in God for
a moment and taking things into their own hands. But, God will always keep His promise, even if He has to sidestep
our mistakes! What I do notice, in this case, is that one, seemingly small and inconsequential, decision on our part can
change our lives and the lives of all who come after us forever! Unfortunately, I can see that in my own life and
in the lives of my children and grandchildren. Like Abraham,
God gives us tests along the way and helps us grow in our confidence in Him and in His Word. James 1:2-4 (NIV) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing
of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its
work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. I don't know if I can say that my
confidence is so very great in God that my first thought when a trial comes is to be joyful! Like Abraham, I know
that I'm somewhere in the process of knowing that I need to joyfully face trials knowing that they are
there to develop my faith, and, thus, my confidence. I am learning to persevere so that I come closer and closer to
becoming mature and complete, not lacking anything. Especially confidence in God! What a test Abraham faced when
God told him to sacrifice the very thing that was so precious to him. Isaac. Abraham may have been confused
by this because it was God who promised Isaac to Abraham and then delivered him, even miraculously! It was God who
said that His covenant would be confirmed with Isaac! Genesis 17:21 (NLT) 21 But my covenant will be confirmed
with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” How in the
world was that going to happen if Abraham had to sacrifice Isaac? I don't mind saying that, at about this point, I
would be confused. I would be tempted to lose a bit of confidence in God. Not Abraham! He had been through
too much with God to cave in at this point. I'm so impressed that Abraham did not run around asking the opinions of
others when God told him to sacrifice Isaac. He apparently did not even show that he was troubled! He obediently
made plans to do the last thing God told him to do. When he and Isaac left the servants and went on further to
the place designated for the sacrifice, Abraham confidently said the following. "We are going to worship."
Worship? Even the servants who were left behind to stay with the donkey probably did not suspect that Abraham was on
his way to confidently follow His God in unbelievable obedience! Can you imagine a test like that? I cannot.
I do see, through Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT), that Abraham had the confidence in God and the faith in God to go ahead and do what He said even
though it did not seem at all logical! 17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as
a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son,
Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”
19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham
did receive his son back from the dead. Abraham confidently told the servants that he and Isaac were
going to worship and that they would be right back! How could Abraham rise above his obvious emotional struggles to
make such a statement? Abraham reasoned in his own mind that if Isaac really did die, God was able to bring him back
to life again! Are you going through some testing right now? Maybe the very things you thought God had given
you are seemingly being taken from you. Is it time for us to reason in our minds like Abraham did? Is it time
to draw on the truth of the promises of God and let our confidence in Him become so strong that we go through the test believing
the impossible? Nothing is impossible with God! Abraham believed the impossible and
it was done for him! Genesis 22:9-14 (NLT) 9 When they arrived at the place
where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him
on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his
son as a sacrifice. 11 At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven,
“Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” 12
“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now
I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” 13
Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it
as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh
(which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain
of the LORD it will be provided.” Is it time for us to leave the world, and it's lack
of confidence in God, behind? Is it time for us to let them care for the things of this world and "travel
a little farther," confidently trusting in God that He alone will provide for whatever it is we may need? MORNING MANNA - MARCH 14, 2010 WHERE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE? Psalms 62:8 (AMP) Here is confidence: Psalm 62:1 (NLT) 1 I wait quietly before God, for
my victory comes from him. Confidence is this: Psalm 62:2 (NLT) 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken. Are there things going on in your life today that are threatening
to shake your confidence? If your confidence is in yourself, in things, or in others, you can be sure that
it will shake! But, if your confidence is in the Lord, alone, you can say, along with David, "I will
never be shaken." You can also sit back quietly in the face of challenges and difficult circumstances absolutely
knowing that your victory is coming from God. He has promised! The question is are we confident enough
in Him to really believe His promises and let our lives show that we believe them? When things are popping all around me,
my first impulse is to react. To try to run around and put out all the fires. To fix stuff. But, that is
not what Psalm 62:1 says. The King James Version of the scripture says, "Truly, my soul waiteth upon God......"
The word wait comes from a word with a root that means "dumb." Unable to speak. It's about silence, about
being still and trusting. Instead of reacting with emotion to the things coming against him, the Psalmist
was still and quiet before God, trusting that God would bring the victory. Actually the word translated, "victory,"
means a lot more than just thinking about winning. It means salvation! It means deliverance. It means
aid! It means prosperity in this regard; it includes deliverance, health, salvation and welfare! Just reading
the last sentence here makes me more confident in God! You
and I are not fighting against people today. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) 12 For we are not fighting
against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this
dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. We are fighting against things in the spirit
world that we cannot see. Nevertheless, they come at us with a vengeance. Psalm 62:3 (NLT) 3 So many enemies against one man—
all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. All of the minions
of Satan are trying to kill us! They come against our mind to make us think that we just might be a broken-down
wall or a tottering fence! Because our confidence is in God, we need to remember what He has said. Isaiah 40:29 (NIV) 29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. Because the enemy always speaks with some truth (twisted though
it may be), it is possible that sometimes we are physically or emotionally weak (even spiritually weak, if
we have not been feeding on His Word). However, God has shown us through the Apostle, Paul, that the very places where
we are weak will become the places where God can show His victorious power the best! I would like to be so confident
in God that no matter what comes against me, I would be able to utter the following: 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT) 10 That’s why I take pleasure
in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak,
then I am strong. Yes! Even when the enemy comes against us meaning to kill us, unless it is time
for God to take us home with Him, we will stand strong even in our worst weakness! We can be confident of God's mighty
power showing through our own weakness, just like Paul was! Are you feeling weak today? Put your confidence
in God. It's the perfect time for Him to show up strong in your life! It seems that David's
enemies came against him by telling lies about him. In this life, we may have people who are used by the
evil one that actually do tell untruths about us in an effort to destroy us. Psalm 62:4 (NLT) 4 They plan to topple me from my
high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. Interlude
Whether or not we are facing situations where people have lied about us, we can be sure that Satan is busy about his business
of telling lies about us. He is always accusing us! Revelation 12:10 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the
heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God
day and night. Even though there may be people in our life who stoop to accusing us falsely and
even though Satan is constantly telling God lies about us, if our confidence is in God, we know that one day this
"accuser," will be destroyed and Christ, "The Truth," will reign supreme. In the meantime, our
confidence in God will help us to do the following: Revelation 12:11 (NLT) 11 And they have defeated him by
the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
We can be confident enough to die to our own self-confidence to put our complete confidence in
Him and in the blood of Jesus. We can faithfully keep our testimony of God's faithfulness. We have no need
to defend ourselves because God has already promised the victory. We don't have to react to things out of fear because
our confidence is in God. After thinking about his own situation, this is what David decided to do. Psalm 62:5 (NLT) 5 Let all that I am wait quietly
before God, for my hope is in him. Instead of reacting emotionally to things that come against us, our
confidence in God will allow us to calmly and quietly sit back with the assurance that victory is ours! Why waste
energy running around putting our confidence in ourselves or in anything else? David says this: "....put
your confidence in Him at all times......" This morning remind yourself that, no matter where your
confidence has been in the past, you can, right now, put it in God. You can be still and know that He is God.
He is our Rock and our Deliverer. As we wait quietly on Him, we will not be shaken! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 13, 2010 THE CONFIDENCE OF JOB - PART THREE Job 1:3 (NLT) How often have we heard recently in the news about super-wealthy people losing it all? Most of the ones we
hear about on the news lost it because they gained it in an ungodly way! Job was a super-rich man! In those
days, the size of a man's herds and flocks were the indication of his affluence. Job had tons of wealth. So
much so that he employed many servants. Job was a man of complete integrity. Job 1:1 (NLT) 1 There once was a man named Job
who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
Being a man of complete integrity, it is evident that Job did not acquire his wealth from cheating or stealing
from others or from deceptive schemes to make himself richer by harming others. Job knew somehow and remembered
that it is God that gives people the ability to gain wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 (TLB) 18 Always remember that it is the
Lord your God who gives you power to become rich, and he does it to fulfill his promise to your ancestors. In
this era of increased knowledge, increased dependence upon ourselves instead of upon God, and increased, "stuff,"
do we still remember that it is the Lord who gave us the power to be successful? Wealth is a gift from God.
It is all obtained by His power and none of our own! It is given to those who receive it as a blessing from God
and He wants them use it to become a blessing to others. We get into trouble when we put our confidence
in the gift instead of the Giver! Wealth or money is not
the problem, although we may think it is and perhaps be jealous of those who have more than we do. It is the love
of money that is the root of all evil! 1 Timothy 6:10 (TLB) 10 For the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin. Some people
have even turned away from God because of their love for it, and as a result have pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Because Job was so very rich, it would have become very easy for him to put his confidence in his wealth.
But, Job's eyes were on the Giver of money and Job knew that the Giver has the power to give as well as take away for His
purposes and for our own good. Think about this story that Jesus told. Luke 12:13-21 (NLT) 13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher,
please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” 14 Jesus
replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced
fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have
room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear
down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away
for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But
God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich
relationship with God.” I am tempted to think like the man in this story. I think that if
I could just get enough money and things stored up, as I get older, I will not have to work and I will be comfortable.
Yet, is God not able to give me wealth in my older years as well as He was in younger years? Does He want me to withhold
what I could give to others when they have a need just so I will feel more comfortable about the future? Where is
my confidence if I think like this? It is certainly not in God! He's the same yesterday, today and forever!
If I am able to store up stuff so that I'll be fine later, it may take up the time now that I could be having a rich relationship
with the Giver of that stuff! Being successful, having things
and money, is not a sin. God loves to give good gifts to His children. On the other hand, God would like His
children to look just like Him. Romans 8:29 (NIV) 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to
be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. What
did Jesus look like in this instance? He went about doing good. He was confident that His Father would meet
His needs and He told us to be confident in God also and not in the things that God gives us! Matthew
6:31-34 (NLT) 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What
will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your
heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously,
and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring
its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. We can place our confidence in and love money
whether we have much or little. People who have very little or no money often think about money before they think about
God. It's a natural temptation. We need money to live on this earth! But, when our confidence depends
on money and not God, when our thoughts are always about money and possessions, we have lost our relationship with the only
One who can give us these things. In essence, we are worshipping the god of money! Those that are blessed with
lots of money have a temptation to hoard it and keep it for themselves, "building bigger barns for all the stuff they
want to store." These people also have misplaced their confidence! Now it is in the gifts, rather than
in the Giver! Let me say that I think Job was well-balanced (something we all desire to be)! He was the richest
man in the whole area in which he lived! What a temptation to place his confidence in his riches! Yet, when
God allowed the enemy to tempt Job to give up his trust in and confidence in God, Job came out shining like gold! Would
we do as well? Here's what happened. Job 1:13-15 (NLT) 13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters
were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger arrived at Job’s
home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15
when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who
escaped to tell you.” In one moment, all of Job's riches disappeared into the hands
of robbers! Even his servants were all killed, all but the one who delivered the horrifying message. If that
wasn't enough there were two more tragic messages. Have you ever felt like things were coming at you from all directions?
I'm sure Job must have felt that way! Job 1:16-17 (NLT) 16 While he was still speaking, another messenger
arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I
am the only one who escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking,
a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your
servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” If Job's confidence has been in his wealth,
and not in his God, this would have destroyed the man! Where is your confidence today? Do you have confidence
in the Lord like Job did? Would you be willing to say what Job said, and really mean it, if what happened
to Job happened to you? Job said, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of
the Lord." MORNING MANNA - MARCH 12, 2010 THE CONFIDENCE OF JOB - PART TWO Job 1:2 (NLT) If you are a parent, you may be able to relate to what I am about to say. If you're not yet a parent, determine
today to be sure to keep your confidence in God and not in any of the gifts that He gives! Children are definitely
gifts from God. Psalm 127:3 (NLT) 3 Children are a gift from the
LORD; they are a reward from him. In Job's day, children were counted on to be in the "family
business." The more children you had, the better able you were to handle your flocks and herds and gain wealth.
If you are interested in how numbers fit into the scripture, you might note that the number, three, is the number for divine
completeness and perfection. Job had three daughters! God's gifts are always the best and God gave Job and his
wife three daughters! God also gave Job seven sons. It's also interesting to note that the number, seven,
throughout the scriptures denotes resurrection, spiritual completeness and Father's perfection. The Father had given
Job seven sons - the Heavenly Father's perfection to an earthly father that walked in integrity. In all
ways, Job was truly blessed. Job didn't take that blessing lightly either. Now, I don't know if all of Job's
children made wise choices and walked in integrity like their dad. But, this I do know. Job wasn't taking
any chances. After the parties his children would have in their homes, Job would pray for them and for their
purification. Job 1:5 (NLT) 5 When these celebrations ended—sometimes
after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for
each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.”
This was Job’s regular practice. If you are a parent, I am sure that you can relate to Job.
We can't always see what our children are doing and we certainly cannot know what is in the depths of their hearts. We
do a good thing when we pray for our children. However, in all of our praying we need to remember that they are, "gifts,"
not people to be worshiped and not people to be placed in a higher position than God holds in our lives.
Job could have placed his confidence in his children. After all, God gave him three daughters and seven sons,
each of those numbers denoting some kind of perfection. Job was a testimony of God's goodness (the number ten has
to do with testimony, law and responsibility). Job was a responsible father, in that he prayed for his children.
I don't know if he ever did put confidence in the gifts of his children rather than the Giver. But, since God speaks
of Job as being blameless and having complete integrity, I imagine that Job's confidence was always fully placed in God. I love my children and you probably love yours too!
Some parents try to live through their children by controlling them and wanting them to live the life that the parent was
unable to do. Most of this is with good intentions. Don't we always want our children to be better, do better,
and have more than we did? I'm sure that Job had the same aspirations for his children, hence his constant prayers
for them. We need to train up our children in the right way. To follow the Lord. And, to pursue the
gifts that God placed within them. Proverbs 22:6 (AMP) 6 Train up a child in the way he
should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. If,
as believers, we are careful to do this, the rest of the responsibility lies with them and with God. We can train
a child to the best of our ability but God does not take their choices away from them. If they deliberately choose
to do wrong after receiving right training, we do not need to feel guilty. Of course, we do need to keep on praying.
If you are a parent, you will totally understand that scripture verse that says, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (AMP) 17 Be unceasing in prayer [praying
perseveringly]; Like Job, if we have children, we have something to constantly pray about! It won't
do for us to place our confidence in our children, as good as they may be. There is always the world out there tempting
them to make poor decisions and they may fall. Our confidence must be in the Giver of those children and the fact that,
even if we, (or they) fall, He is right there holding out His arms to pull us back in, clean
us up, and make us right with Him once more. Here's what scripture says about a wayward child. Luke 15:17-20 (NLT) 17 “When he finally came
to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying
of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned
against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your
son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned
home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he
ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Job could have placed some or all of his confidence in his children (the perfect gifts that God had
given him). However, if he had done that, instead of placing his confidence in God, he would have been blown away
at the testing he experienced. Like us, Job had an enemy. Satan himself. Job 1:6-7 (NLT) 6 One day the members of the heavenly
court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 7 “Where
have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching
everything that’s going on.” Satan probably had his eye on Job because Job was so
blessed of God. But, God also had His eye on Job. While Job had confidence in God, it seems that God also had
confidence in Job! Job 1:8 (NLT) 8 Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have
you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He
fears God and stays away from evil.” God was obviously pleased with Job and pointed that
out to Satan. The devil can't keep quiet or leave well enough alone, so he argued that Job had confidence in God because
God had blessed him. Do we sometimes only have confidence in God when we can see His blessings in our lives and touch
and hold the gifts He gives? Job 1:18-19 (NLT) 18 While he was still speaking,
another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home.
19 Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all
sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
Job experienced the death of all of his children! What better way for the enemy to keep us from having
confidence in God than to harm or take away our children? He tried to do that to the Heavenly Father also when Jesus
was crucified. Well, Job was a person, confident enough in God, that he did and said the following:
Job 1:21-21 (NLT) 20 Job stood up and tore his robe
in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He
said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and
the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” Can you imagine it? Job worshiped
and praised the Lord when all of his children perished! Yes, he grieved but his total confidence was in the Giver of
all the gifts. Not in the gifts themselves. Where is our confidence this morning? Only God is worthy
of owning all of our confidence. MORNING MANNA - MARCH 11, 2010 THE CONFIDENCE OF JOB Job 19:25-26 (NIV) Most of the time we hear about the
"patience of Job." Some of us use Job as an example so that we might learn patience. This is a good
thing to learn, but today, I am thinking about Job's confidence. Job said, "I know that my Redeemer lives."
Job did not have the perspective we have today of knowing that Jesus died on a cruel cross and rose from the dead.
Job mostly saw only "crosses," of his own! He couldn't have confidence in his friends because all they
did was assume that Job had sinned in some way and brought all the calamity he suffered upon himself. Job's friend,
Eliphaz, assumed that Job was being corrected by God. Job 5:17-18 (NLT). 17 “But consider the joy of those
corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. 18 For though he wounds, he
also bandages. He strikes, but his hands also heal. But Eliphaz did not know the whole story.
Job 1:1 (NLT) 1 There once was a man named Job
who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. According
to the Word of God, Job was blameless and a man of complete integrity. Sin was far from him. Today we have the
advantage of knowing that what happened to Job was far beyond the understanding of Eliphaz. At times, it is
better not to comment on things that are beyond our understanding. Here is what King David had to say about that:
Psalm 131:1 (KJV) 1 LORD, my heart is not haughty,
nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. But
sometimes in our attempt (or in our friends attempts) to figure things out, we fall short because the ways of God are higher
than ours and we do not know another's heart. In Job's case, Eliphaz, his friend, actually indirectly accused Job of
not having confidence in God because he did not have enough reverential fear of God. Job 4:6 (NLT) 6 Doesn’t
your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? Do you
think that Eliphaz might have had some "self-confidence," going on here? He knew about God but perhaps he
was trying to use his own intellect to figure out the reason for Job's tragedies. Job could obviously not place his
confidence in Eliphaz or any of his other friends. If he did, he might have given up! Job could not place his confidence in his wife either. When we marry, some of us think that our spouse
is the answer to all of our problems. We feel that they can fix anything that concerns us. It's a good thing that
Job didn't feel that way about his wife! Neither should we feel that way about our spouse. Human beings can
always disappoint us and they can always go astray and possibly lead us astray if our confidence is in them instead of in
God. Look what Job's wife told him to do! Job 2:9 (NLT) 9 His wife said to him, “Are
you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job's wife gave up on him when
his health failed. The enemy used her, even though she was probably the one closest to him on this earth, to try
to make him doubt God. To try to take away his confidence. It was undoubtedly hard for Job to hang on to that
confidence in God when he did not know what was going on. Sometimes we don't know what is going on the heavenly's either
when our circumstances appear to be more than we can handle. The last thing we need is for someone close to us
to say, "Just give up - forget God." But, unfortunately, that happens sometimes. So, if our confidence
is placed in our spouse, we need to move it up a notch! It never pays to put your confidence in people, no matter
how much you love them! Psalm 118:8-9 (TLB) 8 It is better to trust the Lord
than to put confidence in men. 9 It is better to take refuge in him than in the mightiest
king! Job's confidence could not be centered in his wife nor in the mightiest of officials in his
time. Neither can ours. Like Job, we must place our utmost confidence in God by knowing beyond a shadow
of a doubt that He is our Redeemer and that He lives. Job did not have the scriptures we have today. But,
today we can know that Jesus lives because His Word says so. We can know that He has promised not to leave us
nor forsake us. It is the truth that what we
know that will set us free. John 8:32 (NLT) 32 And you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.” Free to place all of our confidence in God. Job knew
that His Redeemer was a living Redeemer. That's what kept him going when all else failed. Oh, I hope to
never be put to the test as much as Job was. I hope you will not have to go through such tests either; but, the
truth is that we have the Word of God that assures us that Jesus lives! We have Job's example of, not only patience,
but confidence in the fact that because He lives, we also shall live, even when we leave these earthly bodies! Perhaps
you are going through some testing that this moment. It could be that your friends really don't understand you.
Maybe, in their efforts, through "self-confidence," they have tried to tell you that your testing is due to some
sin in your life. This may or may not be true. Only you and God can, together, can reason that out. If
you do have sin in your life, God is willing to hear your apology, see your repentance and forgive you. Isaiah 1:18 (AMP) 18 Come now, and let us reason
together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson,
they shall be like wool. Now, perhaps your friend notices that you are having troublesome circumstances
in your life. Perhaps they observe that you are committing adultery or have a pattern in your life of some other obvious
behavior that goes against God's will. Listen to them! Take it back to God and repent. Turn from that
thing and put your confidence back in God instead of in the person or thing that was leading you astray! It could also
be that your spouse is not pushing you toward confidence in God. They may have lost their confidence in God.
Just because people say they have confidence in God doesn't necessarily mean that they do. You can pretty well observe
by someone's behavior whether they are really placing their confidence in God. If your spouse, through, behavior or
suggestion, is leading you away from God, strengthen yourself in His Word. Determine that your confidence will not
be placed in your spouse. Do not go against God's Word. Instead, let your spouse see from your behavior that
your full confidence is in God. 1 Peter 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 In the same way, you wives must
accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them
without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent
lives. 1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) 7 In the same way,
you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than
you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not
be hindered. Where is your confidence this morning? Is it in your spouse or your friends?
Or, Like Job, is it in your Redeemer and your knowledge that He lives? Even if we're going through challenges,
if our confidence is in God, we can sing the song, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he
lives, all fear is gone." Now, that's confidence; correctly placed! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 10, 2010 SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS TORMENT Isaiah 50:11 (NLT) There are many books and classes out there that show us how to have self-confidence. Where is your confidence?
In yourself? Do you have a great deal of self-confidence? So much so that you sometimes feel invincible?
On reading Isaiah 50:11, I can see that perhaps we are being duped by the hype of this world's gurus, secular humanists and psychologists.
God's Word seems to say that, when we put our confidence in our ways and plans, we will soon fall down in great torment!
Placing confidence in ourselves, and our abilities, will prove to keep us in the dark.
Isaiah 50:10 (NLT) 10 Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. Nobody
really wants to fall down in great torment. The Amplified Bible kind of brings this home for me. Isaiah 50:11 (AMP) 11 Behold, all you [enemies of
your own selves] who attempt to kindle your own fires [and work out your own plans of salvation], who surround and gird yourselves
with momentary sparks, darts, and firebrands that you set aflame!—walk by the light of your self-made fire and of
the sparks that you have kindled [for yourself, if you will]! But this shall you have from My hand: you shall lie down in
grief and in torment. I can see from this that, if we place our confidence in ourselves, we become
enemies of our own selves. Our God wants our full confidence to be in Him. When we choose to place it anywhere else,
we will end up staying in the darkness and falling down in grief and torment! Are you in a situation where you don't quite see what God is doing in your life? Are you tempted to make
some "self-made," fires so you can see better and know where to go? Self-made fires are definitely not the
answer. It is only the light that comes from the Word of God that can make our way clear! Psalm 119:105 (AMP) 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path. If you are, in any way, tempted this morning to place confidence in yourself,
your intellect, your talents, your abilities, your looks, etc., it may work for a moment; but it will not be lasting.
Here are some verses to help us when we tend to struggle with placing our confidence in ourselves or placing our
confidence totally in the Lord. If you are walking through a dark valley, this one is for you. Remember, you
are walking through it. You are not stuck in it! As you walk through, you can have confidence
that Jesus is with you all the way! Psalm 23:4 (AMP) 4 Yes, though I walk through the
[deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and
Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. If the darkness seems to threaten you, don't light your
own fires for a way out. By faith, take the hand of Jesus, confidently let Him lead you through, and
out! Maybe this morning finds you fearful and you're struggling to figure out how to get out of that fear. All
of the meditations and chants you can think of will not calm your fears. We, alone, cannot be confident in our own
selves that we can overcome fear. But, we can be confident in this: Psalm 27:1 (AMP) 1 [A Psalm] of David. THE LORD
is my Light and my Salvation—whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life—of
whom shall I be afraid? Yes! God is our light and our salvation. We don't have anything
to fear and we don't need to start lighting our own fires for light! God is our Light! Watch this:
Psalm 27:3 (AMP) 3 Though a host encamp against me, my
heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, [even then] in this will I be confident. What the
Psalmist is speaking about here is far from the self-confidence that is taught today by those who do not know God.
This is a confidence in God Almighty. Oh, Lord, help us to realize that You alone are almighty and you alone are
worthy of our complete confidence. Any number of things
may be going on in your life today that tempt you to rely on your own self. Your own confidence. Why do that
when the Lord offers us a secure place in which we can have our confidence? We can't see everything like the
Lord sees it. We don't know what lies ahead. But, He does and He's already got us covered for every trouble and
trial that may come against us. He has and He will rescue us if we love Him. He has and He will protect
us if we trust Him. Put our full confidence in Him. When I see this verse, I just have to ask myself why I'm
confident in myself at all! God is going to answer me when I call on Him, if my confidence is in Him. If I am
now in, or ever do get into, a precarious situation, He's going to rescue me. Even honor me! When I must walk
through trouble because I still live in this sinful earth, God is going to be right with me! He's going to reward me
with long life and give me His salvation! I would say that there couldn't be any longer life than eternal life! Psalm 92:14-16 (NLT) 14 The LORD says, “I will
rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When
they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16
I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” I could never
muster up enough self-confidence to do all of those things! It's for sure that I don't want to think that I could
and end up having to lie down in grief and torment! Where is your confidence? Since self-sufficiency
is torment, hopefully, all of your confidence is in the Lord! We often disappoint our selves and let
ourselves down, but God will never let us down! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 9, 2010 ARE YOU THANKFUL? Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Have you ever received a gift from someone
and you knew there was no way you could reciprocate? The one thing that we can do when given gifts or compliments
is say, "Thank you." Sometimes the one giving the gift is more blessed with a "Thank you,"
than anything else! When my husband and I were dating, he told me that one of the things that set me apart from
the other women he had dated was the fact that I always said, "Thank you," when he did anything for me or gave
me something. Looking back on that, I see that my thankfulness brought me favor over other women with my husband.
How much more so with God? He has given us something that we could never buy or earn. The gift of salvation
and everything that goes with it. The gift of His friendship. The gift of His presence. The gift of His
Spirit. God has already given us so much more than we deserve. Yet, He invites us to talk to Him and ask
for things we need! The Apostle, Paul tells us to let our requests be known to God, with thanksgiving.
He tells us in the very same phrase that God's peace will guard our hearts and minds. Do you want God's peace?
Then, while you are asking Him for your needs, give Him thanks! Where
do you suppose the most peace is to be found. I would guess that it would be in the courts of Heaven. Psalm 100:4-5 (AMP) 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His
name! 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting,
His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations. We're supposed to enter into those courts
with thanksgiving. Where do we go when we need help and mercy? To the throne of God. In prayer.
Hebrews 4:16 (AMP) 16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently
and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive
mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming
just when we need it]. What an invitation and what a privilege! Would you go without an offering? You
don't have to. Paul says that we can go with thanksgiving. In fact, we might not even
get through the gates without thanksgiving! Psalm 50:14-15 (NLT) 14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice
to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on me when you
are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” Maybe you're saying, "I can't think of much to be thankful
for." That may be true if you only look at your circumstances but it's far from the truth. Jesus loves
you. He died for you. He has called you his friend, if you have received Him as your Savior. He has promised
to meet your needs if you will seek His Kingdom and His righteousness before you go looking for other things. That's
just for starters! I'm sure you just took a breath. God did not have to give that breath to you! If you
can see to read this, you've got something to be thankful for. When we bring our requests before God, in the name
of Jesus, by faith, we can be thankful! Give thanks to God before you receive the answer because
He has promised that He will answer! If you are a parent, you might know the feeling of having a child ask for more
and more and just take it for granted. After a while, that can get old. You may not be as inclined to keep
on giving. However, if that child is always grateful and expresses thanks to you, the opposite will probably be
true. You will want to give more and more. Do you think that is the way God is? I do. I believe
He greatly blesses His thankful children. Especially the ones who go to Him, by faith, and thank Him for
His answers even before they see them. If we can go to God in prayer, letting Him know about everything we
need and, if we know that He has heard us and will answer, we will have peace. We may not understand the peace
that we have but it will be there. When you pray, are you thankful whether or not you have seen your answer?
May it be so and my His peace that passes all understanding be yours. Yes! Shalom! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 8, 2010 WHAT DO YOU PRAY ABOUT? Philippians 4:6 (AMP) What things do
you pray about? Are there things that you think are too big for God to handle? Luke 1:37 (NLT) 37 For nothing is impossible with
God.” It's a pretty big thing for an old woman who has never been able to have a child
to have a baby. But, God did it for Elizabeth. He did it for Sarah too! God is well able to handle
the big things that are impossible. He raised Jesus from the dead! Matthew 28:6-7 (NRSV) 6 He is not here; for he has been
raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and
tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see
him.' This is my message for you." And, remember, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! John 11:43-44 (NLT) 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus,
come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound
in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” No
doubt about it! There is nothing that is so big that we shouldn't pray about it and trust God to answer. In
fact, the things that are too big for us are God's delight and specialty. Mark 10:27 (NIV) 27 Jesus looked at them and said,
"With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." The biggest
thing, and the most important thing in all the world, our salvation, is really impossible. But, God made a way for
us to have a right relationship with him again through Jesus. That's a miracle! That's a good reason to also
pray that everyone we know will be born again! Yes, need to pray about the big things in life. When we do, God
will hear us and act on our prayers. Matthew 21:22 (NLT) 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will
receive it.” I see that prayer is an act of faith. Jesus said we could pray for anything
and, if we have faith, we will receive it. Don't let the big obstacles in life scare you.
Don't fret about them or be anxious about them. Instead, in faith, pray about them. Quote Matthew 21:22 if you have to; or write it on a card that you can pull out and read from time to time. Replace worry with the
prayer of faith and see what God will do! How about the
mundane, small things in life? Do you pray about those things? You know, you can! The smallest of things
in our lives fall into the category of, "everything!" Now, you may think I am out of my mind and
I will tell you, up front, I hope that is true! I want my mind to be out of the way and I want the mind of Christ to
operate in me! I have asked God for some really small things that might seem utterly stupid to some people but
God did not ignore me or upbraid me. He heard me! Not only did He hear me, He answered! Regarding the
small things of life, what is God interested in? Everything! Matthew 10:30 (AMP) 30 But even the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. How small is one hair on one human head? It's so small that most of
us would not notice one if it were on the floor in front of our feet! But, God is keeping track of it along with all
the other hairs of every human being that has ever lived or will ever live! That tells me that God is interested
in the small things! So, are you having a bad hair day? Pray about it. I've done it and God has been my
hairdresser! (This is where you may be thinking, "she's out of her mind!) Is your hair falling out?
Pray about it. God cares about each one of the hairs on your head. One tear is also very small. Our
tears usually represent the bigger things, but each individual tear is quite small and they evaporate quickly.
What is making you cry? God cares about the situation and He also sees and collects every single tear you cry.
Psalms 56:8 (NLT) 8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have
collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. He collects
them. Don't as me why. But, that tells me that He cares about the smallest of things. Pray about that thing that
is making you cry and be consoled in knowing that God sees your tears and he knows your sorrows. He doesn't take them
for granted or look the other way until you get it together. One day we will know why he has bottles full of our
tears, but for today, we can know that the smallest thing can and should be a matter of prayer because God cares.
Do you have a need today? It may seem small to you. But, if it concerns you, it concerns God too! Pray
about it and see what God will do! Matthew 10:28-29 (NLT) 29
What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without
your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. God
is interested in the small things! I have dared to tell God that I was too tired to walk and ask for a front
parking place at the grocery store. You know, more than once, He has heard me and provided just that! In
fact, my faith is bolstered when I see God answer my prayers for the small things. Do you remember when you were a child? If not, you can look at your own children or the children
of others. They don't have anything of their own. They are dependent on their parents for the necessities of
life. The big things like food, shelter, and medical care. And, for the small things like diapers,
toilet paper, and pacifiers. There is nothing in their lives for which they can say, "I did it myself," (although
some will try to say that as soon as they are able to talk!) If they want something, they have to ask daddy
or mommy. They realize they have nothing of their own and trust that their parents are going to meet their needs.
Have we ever been so independent (like that child who thinks he obtained something all by himself) that we decide not
to pray about everything with childlike faith? Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT) 3 Then he said, “I tell you
the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom
of Heaven. Humility before God will acknowledge that everything comes from Him. Everything must
become a matter of prayer. God is interested in the details! 1 Peter 5:7 (TLB) 7 Let him have all your worries
and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. Don't
you hate it when you're talking to someone about something that is important to you and they are hearing you but they are
not really listening? God is not like that. God cares about everything that concerns you. He's
not just listening; He really hears you! That's why an ongoing conversation with Him is essential. When
we pray about everything and tell God everything we need, we are that much closer to experiencing a peace that will surprise
us. (Philippians 4:7) What's not to be peaceful about when you know your Daddy is interested in everything you need
and He has all the resources to supply those needs? What's not to be peaceful about when you know that you are loved
so much by your Daddy that He's just itching to give you good gifts? Matthew 7:9-11 (NLT) 9 “You parents—if your
children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if
they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful
people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who
ask him. You can be sure of it! God cares about all of your needs! He just wants you
to talk to Him about each and every thing. When you do, you'll come away from the conversation with peace
and assurance. Now, as the old song says, "Let us have a little talk with Jesus. Let us tell Him
all about our troubles. He will hear our faintest cry and He will answer bye and bye." Shalom! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 7, 2010 ARE YOU WORRIED? Philippians 4:6 (NLT) What if I asked you this morning, "What
are you worried about?" You would have something in your life that you might admit was worrisome to you. The
trouble is that worry is definitely a hindrance, if not a total barrier, to peace. Especially that peace that
passes our ability to describe it that Paul speaks about in Philippians 4:7. Do you remember the story of Sarah and Abraham? God had promised Abraham a son. Genesis 15:4-5 (NLT) 4 Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant
will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then
the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how
many descendants you will have!” Sarah was supposed to be the mother of that
son, and eventually would be. But, Sarah got worried. Both
she and Abraham were getting old. Old people cannot have babies! Or can they? Sarah must have been worried
about this so she decided to help God out with His promise. Don't ever let your worry make you decide to help God
out. You'll only get in His way and you will certainly create an atmosphere in which peace cannot dwell! Sarah
helped God out by implementing her own strategy. She, perhaps insecure in herself, decided that she was the problem
and so she told Abraham to sleep with her handmaiden, Hagar. Now, remember that Abraham was older than Sarah so it may
have been his problem. Really, it was both a problem and an opportunity for both of them, depending on their reaction.
They should have trusted God for His promise and decided not to worry about it! They chose worry and
they made a bad decision. Isn't that the way it is with us sometimes? Anyway, Abraham became a willing
participant in this "Sarahian strategy." Hagar did conceive. She had a son. His name was
Ishmael. Did any peace come from Sarah's worry and then her solution to the situation? Hardly.
Genesis 16:12 (AMP) 12 And he [Ishmael] will be as a wild ass among
men; his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the
borders of all his kinsmen. We still see the effects of Sarah's worry today. The descendants of Ishmael
are still against most of the rest of the world! Even against Israel which represents, Isaac, the true promised son
of Abraham and Sarah. This is sibling rivalry at its worst. Not only did apparent worry that God would not
keep His promises cause Sarah to make a grave mistake, it caused unrest and no peace in the world from then till now!
It also caused disruption in the household of Abraham. Worry is not just about us. It influences our decisions
which influence the way that the world will go! Either toward peace or toward chaos. Sarah must have begun to brood over something that she thought was not going happen. That
possibility that she would grow old and die without ever bearing Abraham the promised son. I think this caused Sarah
to worry. Things like that can tempt us to worry also. If we let that temptation grow and turn into actions,
they will almost always be the wrong actions! Sarah did not trust God fully. So her worry prompted her to
take things into her own hands. When God makes a promise to us, it is on His terms and in His time. So many
times, it looks like that promise will not materialize. That's where our faith has to come in. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. That's
the point at which it is so important to know God's Word. His promises never, ever fail! Psalm 18:30 (NLT) 30 God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s
promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. If we don't know the
Word of God, we will not know that all of His promises prove true. If all of God's promises prove true (in
His time and in His way, which is always the best time and the best way), what do we have to worry about? He has promised
to perfect everything that concerns you and me. Now, we can try to perfect it on our own and forfeit that peace that
passes all understanding. Or, we can stop worrying about anything because He has already promised to perfect everything
that concerns us. Sarah had a small problem in doing this. You and I might have a problem there too but, throughout
scripture, it's evident that worry will always destroy our peace and the peace of others but faith and trust will allow
us into the realm of the peace that passes all understanding. Let's make it our choice to stop worrying
and let God do His perfecting without us getting in the way! Shalom. And, don't worry! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 6, 2010 REMEMBER! Philippians 4:5 (NLT) I am remembering something. Something that happened last September. I had begun to read a book called,
"One Month To Live - Thirty Days To A No-Regrets Life." In this book, the authors, Kerry and
Chris Shook, explain the importance of living each day as though we only had only one month in which to finish
our life here on earth. The truth is that we don't know what a day will bring and we know not whether we will even
have the next moment! How would you live this moment if you knew it was your last? How would you live this
day if you knew it was your last? And what would you do to fill a month if you knew it was your last? Sometimes,
don't we get very hung up on the, "here and now?" We run to comforts here on earth to satisfy our
longings instead of running to the Comforter! We forget that we are living in a finite period of time. Psalm 39:5 (NLT) 5 You have made my life no longer
than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude I
was thoroughly enjoying reading this book and finding a new perspective on life, while at the same time being challenged.
Of course, I was not really thinking that I might have only one month to live (or even less). In a moment of time,
without notice, I experienced the worst pain I have ever felt and the realization came to me that I might be dying.
And, the truth is that, at that moment, I was dying! A shower of blood clots had hit both of my lungs and I couldn't
breath! My heart started straining to move the blood between itself and my lungs and nothing would move.
There was no warning. I was minding my own business sitting at my computer. Because of God's goodness and His
miracle working power, I'm sitting here writing this today with so much for which to be thankful! Upon arriving in
the ER, the doctor (whom God had prepared ahead of time) told me that, if I had not been able to get to the phone, my
husband would have come home from his business trip to a dead wife. That's how fast it can happen! While remembering the above experience, I am also remembering that, whether
the Lord takes us through illness, accident or when He comes to call us all home with Him, we will all soon be face
to face with Him. He's going to ask us to give account for the time He has given us on earth. Watch
this: Matthew 12:36 (AMP) 36 But I tell you, on the day of
judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. We have
but a few days, in the scope of eternity, to live on this earth. Everything we say and do makes a difference!
Everything we say and do either ushers in peace or confusion. All the things we say and do impact our own lives
as well as the lives of others. We don't even know the scope of how far our words and actions might travel.
No wonder the Apostle Paul tells us, just before letting us know that the peace that passes all understanding can be ours,
to be considerate and unselfish in all we do, and to remember that the Lord is coming soon. None of us knows
the exact time that the Lord will return. Matthew 24:36 (NLT) 36 “However, no one knows
the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
That's why we cannot take our time here for granted. Matthew 24:42 (NLT) 42 “So you, too, must keep
watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. The Lord is coming soon, one way or another.
Either to take us all home or for each of us as individuals when our allotted time here on earth is over. I'm
thankful for the difficulty of having those blood clots almost end my life because I know that I have been given another
chance to remember that my time here could be over in a split second or the twinkling of an eye! What I say and do
today and every day matters. I never know when my last opportunity to make a difference for the better will come! All of the above being said, I will confess that sometimes I have frittered
away my time doing mindless things just for pleasure or to escape from the pressures of life. I am not proud of that
and I really want to do better. Just before Paul tells us to remember that the Lord is coming soon, he tells us to
be considerate and unselfish or, as I quoted yesterday, "sweetly reasonable." Since our time here is so limited,
why should we spend it doing things that are totally unproductive? Why should we spend time arguing and fighting? As
I write, I am suddenly hearing the following verse: Romans 12:1 (KJV) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. Our time here is not our own. The bodies we live in don't even belong to us
if we are believers. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. What we do with ourselves
and our time might possibly change if we knew that we only had one month to live. That should not be the way it is
but it is so easy to take the gift of life here for granted. Ministers are privileged to spend time with folks who
know that they have a limited amount of time to live because of terminal disease. Here is a portion of what Chris
and Kerry Shook have noticed in ministering to those who know they are dying. "They take license to say what
they really feel and do what they really want. They ask for forgiveness and forgive others. They no longer think
only of themselves but reach out to those they love and let them know how much they mean. They take risks they would
never have taken before and allow themselves to lay worry aside and gratefully accept each new day. They seem
to gain a new clarity about their priorities like their relationship with God and leaving legacies that will endure."
Now, that's a mouthful! As the authors so aptly conclude, "Why can't all of us live more like we're dying?"
Yes! Why don't we? Most likely because we do not remember that the Lord is coming soon. In all of our getting
caught up in the practicality, and sometimes pain, of this life, let's be sure to remember that the Lord is coming
soon. Because of that, let's live like we were dying! Let's considerately reach out to others with encouragement and
hope. A wonderful friend did that for me this morning and it made all the difference in my day! When we do that,
more and more peace floods our lives until we are totally encompassed with God's unexplainable peace! Shalom!
And remember. Jesus is coming soon! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 5, 2010 WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE IN YOU? Philippians 4:5 (NLT) As I began to look more deeply into the meaning of what it means
to be considerate, I was struck by this phrase that I read in one of the commentaries. "Sweet reasonableness."
I don't know about you, but there are times when those around me do not see sweet reasonableness in me! What do people
see in you? We usually have patterns of behavior in our life and, if ours is based on the desire to follow the Lord
and do His will, most of the time we will be considerate. However, in Philippians 4:5, Paul says a couple of things that let me know that just the intention to be considerate is not really good
enough. We can have all kinds of desires and intentions but, unless we put them into practice, they will not be seen.
James 2:17 (NLT) 17 So you see, faith by itself
isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Here
in Philippians 4:5, Paul says that we need to let everyone see that we are considerate. Well, even if you have the desire
to be considerate, like me, you may be in the process of letting everyone see that you are considerate.
Paul says that everyone must see that we are considerate in all we do. Let me ask you a couple of questions (and
I'll ask myself too). Can everyone see that you are considerate? Are you considerate in all
that you do? Okay, since I have also asked myself these questions, I've come up short. For me, the answer
is, "certainly not," concerning both questions. I have a ways to go before I am always sweetly
reasonable! I think one of the places that not everyone can see that we are considerate
in all we do is the exact place where we should be most considerate. That is in our home. With our spouse.
With our children. With our parents, Etc. This is the most important place, in my opinion, for those around
us to know, perceive, and recognize our unselfishness. And our forbearing spirit! Yet, do we ever let
down our guard at home and, "let it all hang out," so to speak? When that happens, it is likely that we
are taking those the closest to us for granted. That we just assume they will overlook our selfishness. If those
at home are not seeing and perceiving our sweet reasonableness all the time, we have some work to do. If you are perfect
in this area, there's no need to read further. If not, you may be overlooking one of the important steps to finding
the full experience of the peace of God that passes all understanding. Besides that, God looks at the heart.
Whatever is in our heart is eventually going to come out in our words. If we don't stop there, those words will
turn into actions. When we let down our guard behind closed doors in the home, what's really in our heart will
come out. It will be evident to those around us. What do they see when they see you and me? Here is Philippians 4:5 in the King James Version: 5 Let your
moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. The Greek word for, "moderation," speaks
of patience and gentleness. It has to do with being mild. This same word is used in 1 Timothy 3:3 to describe the qualifications for someone who wants to be a bishop (or leader) in the church.
1 Timothy 3:3 (NLT) 3 He must not be a heavy drinker
or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. You may be saying at this point,
"Wait, I'm not a leader in the church." Yes, that may be true of you but every believer is a leader.
We are all supposed to be living in such a way that people around us will want to follow us to find Jesus! In Philippians 4:5, Paul is talking to regular people in the church, not just those who have the official positions of
leadership. James tells us the following: James 3:17-18 (NLT) 17 But the wisdom from above is
first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and
good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who
are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Do you want to operate
in Godly wisdom? One of the ways to do that is to be considerate, gentle and willing to yield to others.
The Greek word used in Philippians 4:5 and in the other verses mentioned here is also used in James 3:17 and translated here as, "gentle." Godly wisdom is gentle. At all times.
It is peace loving. So, in my quest to find my part in receiving God's peace that passes all understanding,
I see that I must learn to be sweetly reasonable. Always. That I need to be patient and gentle. Always.
Considerate? Yes, in all things. Unselfish? Yes again. In everything I do. Does this seem to
hard to you? It surely is for me! I'm consoled when I remember that, without Jesus, I cannot do a single
thing! Neither can you, whether you believe it or not! Here's what Jesus said. John 15:5 (NLT) 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you
are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. That
being said, I'm so grateful that Jesus has offered to live within me and change me from the inside out! He's asking
me in Philippians 4:5 to do something that is totally impossible for me. Yet He tells me this in Philippians 4:13 (NLT) 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
He encourages me in Mark 10:27 (NLT) 27 Jesus looked at them intently
and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Is it overwhelming that we are told to let everyone see that we are considerate in all we do? Yes, it could be.
On the other hand, when others see us being changed from the inside out so that we are gentle and sweetly reasonable all
the time, they will have every reason to know that only God could do such a thing! Do you want the peace that passes
all understanding to guard your heart and mind? Of course you do! We all do. Part of doing our part is
to be aware of what other people see in us. We cannot fake it. Being considerate has to come from a God-changed
heart. It has to be a "want to," on our part and not a, "have to." When we think of how
God was considerate enough of us to send Jesus to die for our unreasonableness, our hearts will begin to change and
others around us will see the change. Peace will be experienced on the inside and on the outside. Shalom. MORNING MANNA - MARCH 4, 2010 AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SAY IT - REJOICE! Philippians 4:4 (TLB) Within the steps I see in Philippians 4:1-7 which will enable us to experience God's peace that is beyond our understanding, are two steps.
They may seem repetitive but maybe this is because, in order to finally receive a peace that we won't be able to explain,
we have to keep on doing these steps over and over again! Here is another translation of Philippians 4:7: 4 Rejoice in the Lord
alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Notice that the word, "always," means always! It means
evermore too! We might as well get used to rejoicing in the Lord all the time now because that is what we're going
to be doing forever! Do you wake up rejoicing in the Lord no matter what? In that rejoicing, does your
hope rise up that maybe that opportunity you have been praying for will be opened to you today? Are you rejoicing because
this may be the day that the Lord will bring that wayward child back home? There are so many reasons to rejoice but
the greatest one is that Jesus died on the cross for you and me to save us, heal us, sanctify us, and keep us! A good
reason to keep rejoicing is that He calls us His friend. He has made it possible for us to be reunited with our Heavenly
Father, even though sin threatened to steal us away from Him! Well, you say, "I rejoiced last Sunday when
the praise team led us in worship." That's wonderful! But, it doesn't stop there. It is an, "always,"
thing! It is a lifestyle! And it won't end when we close our eyes to this world and enter into our Heavenly
home! When we finally see Jesus, face to face, we will understand why we have always had, and will always, have reason
to rejoice constantly! Are you feeling unhappy today? That
is quite possible in this world we live in! Your feelings are real but it is the truth that you know (not
the feelings that you feel) twill set you free. John 8:32 (AMP) 32 And you will know the Truth,
and the Truth will set you free. Rejoicing is appropriate and necessary even if
you are feeling unhappy. In fact, you're just going to feel more unhappy until you start rejoicing. Whatever
you are feeling today is centered in you and your circumstances. When we start rejoicing in spite of the way we feel, Jesus
is put back into the center, where He belongs. In Philippians 3:1, Paul lets us know that we need to rejoice, no matter what happens. Good or bad! We don't
rejoice because of the circumstance but because God is in control of all of our circumstances and He is more powerful than
any uncomfortable circumstance. Philippians 3:1 (NLT) 1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers
and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. As
the Apostle, Paul, implies here, rejoicing in every situation (not specifically because of the situation) is
one way to help safeguard our faith. I just now read that our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our
outward circumstances. Have you ever spoken with someone who was going through extremely hard circumstances?
I have. I just spoke to one this morning! Her outward circumstances did not stop her from rejoicing in the
Lord! Even in her troubles and trials, she still chose to let her inner attitude be that of rejoicing.
Consequently, the Lord was the focus of our conversation. This was true even though both she and I have some hard
things going on in our lives! As a result of rejoicing in the Lord together, we were both encouraged and I know that
God is going to do something great for each of us today because our focus was on rejoicing in Him! Did that stop us
from feeling badly about certain things? Not at all! It's just that what we know took precedence over our feelings.
The truth we know is that God is worthy. It is only in Him, and in His love and power, that we can truly rejoice!
When we choose to do that, our feelings will slowly slip into the background and, if we choose to do it always, what
we feel can never again take power over us! It is not a preacher
who has lived a sheltered life and dressed in suits and ties all his life that is telling us that we need to rejoice
always. It is not a pampered person who has never felt pain and trouble who is telling us, "Again,
I say rejoice." It is a man who has had reason to feel badly in every way! It is a man who has lived
though stuff that most of us will never even encounter. It is God speaking through the Apostle Paul. He was
shipwrecked. He was beaten. He was persecuted. He was left for dead. He was wrongly imprisoned.
And the list goes on and on! Look how the writer of, The Message, explains what Paul endured during his lifetime!
2 Corinthians 11:23-29 23 Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one
better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I'm going to finish.) I've
worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time.
24 I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, 25 beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times,
and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day 26 In hard traveling
year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at
risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my
brothers. 27 I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night
without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. 28 And
that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. 29
When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin,
an angry fire burns in my gut. So, whatever it is that you and I may be going through today, it's time
to rejoice! Over and over again! It's time to rejoice in the truth that Jesus said He would never
leave us or forsake us. It's time to rejoice in the truth that, even though we will have troubles in
this world, He has overcome the world. Because we are in Him and He is in us, we have overcome too! It's time
to rejoice in the truth that all things will work together for good for us if we love the Lord and are called according
to His purpose. It's time to rejoice in the truth that He is close to the broken-hearted. There are so many reasons
that we can always rejoice. None of those reasons are circumstance-related. All of them are because we belong
to a God who has promised to watch over and protect everything that concerns us. I have only listed a few reasons
why it is possible and necessary for us to always rejoice. Why we must remind each other to do the same. When
we read His Word and find His promises, that's reason to rejoice. When see what He has done for others
in the past, know that He will do the same for us, that's more reason to rejoice! When we dwell on
all of those things, there is nothing to do BUT rejoice. No wonder Paul says to do it always. No wonder
He says, "Again, I say, rejoice! It all has to do with our well-being, our calm delight in Jesus and our
cheerfulness, despite the circumstances. To rejoice always, and then to do it again, are two steps toward
having, in it's fullness, peace that passes all our understanding! Shalom! And I re-say, "Joy!" MORNING MANNA - MARCH 3, 2010 ALWAYS BE FULL OF THE JOY OF THE LORD! Philippians 4:4 (NLT) How much of the joy
of the Lord is in you? Are you full or do you have areas in your heart and mind where there is a lack of joy?
In order to experience a peace that will not be able to be explained, we need to always be full of the joy of the Lord.
As I was thinking about the peace that passes all of our understanding and how it relates to certain steps we can
take, I remembered the following verse: 1 Peter 1:8 (AMP) 8 Without having seen Him, you
love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant,
heavenly) joy. When we stay full of joy in the Lord, we allow His peace to fill us. We can't see Him
but we believe in Him! For the unbeliever, this all sounds like gibberish. But, to the believer, it is true and
real! None of this can be explained or expressed thoroughly in words. Even the our joy in the Lord is inexpressible,
although it is full to the brim of glory. We might equate joy with loud celebrating and shouting, but the
Greek word used in 1 Peter 1:8 actually means, "cheerfulness," and "calm delight." Does
that description remind you of peace? It does me. I can experience calm delight when my joy is in the Lord.
If there are places in my heart filled with worry, resentment, or any other negative thing, I need to renew my mind right
now to that place of joy in the Lord. That place of calm delight! When I am full of the joy of the Lord, nothing
else matters! It's not that I don't care. It's just that God has allowed my heart to be full of calm delight
in Him. He has relieved me of any burdens or sins because He has allowed me, and even commanded me, to cast all of
that stuff on Him because He cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) 7 Casting the whole of your care
[all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and
cares about you watchfully. I don't have to carry my cares because Jesus cares!
You don't have to carry yours either. After all, we can't do much about them! So, why not give them to the only One
who really cares and who wants to and can do something about them? In exchange He will fill our hearts with joy and
peace. Not a bad exchange! When the Apostle, Paul,
tells us to be full of joy in the Lord in Philippians 4:4, another Greek word is used. It is actually the root word
from which the word forjJoy in 1 Peter 1:8 is taken. It means to be full of cheer, to be well-off. It was used as a salutation just as the word,
"peace," was used as a salutation or a means of saying farewell. Maybe you are saying, "I don't feel
any joy right now; things are just too bad in my life for me to have any joy." That is what you
are feeling but what you know (or need to know, if you don't already know) is that it is imperative that you be
filled with the joy of the Lord. That may mean that you will have to clean the house of your heart and
mind, throwing all of those, "joy-sappers," out in the trash. Then, before any other worries or anxieties
can enter, fill the place you just cleaned with the joy of the Lord. Paul says, always be filled.
What does that mean to you and me? (Please note, that I am not there yet. I'm on the journey along with
you. And, it is a journey because the enemy will always try to slip something extra into your joy-filled heart!).
When is it that God wants us to be filled with joy in the Lord? Always! Paul says it twice in
Philippians 4:4! When is it okay to not be filled with the joy of the Lord? Never! Why? Because, we're
told to be joyful and then keep on being joyful! What does it mean to be filled? When something is full, there
is no room for anything else. If we remain filled with the joy of the Lord, those irritations and worries of life
will have no place to take a seat in our hearts and minds. There's not even any standing room! Not for, "joy-sappers."
Why do you suppose Paul wants us to always
be filled with the joy of the Lord? I think part of the reason is because Paul knows that without joy, we will have
no strength. Satan knows that too and he's going to try every method and strategy he can to steal away our joy!
He knows that if he can get that, he can bring us down because we'll be too weak to fight! We've even got to be joyful
when we find that God has revealed something in us, through His Word, that has to be changed. That's what happened
in Nehemiah's time. The people were weeping because they had just asked Ezra to bring out the book of the law
and read it to them. Nehemiah 8:1 (NLT) 1 all the people assembled with
a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of
Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey. They were reminded of and recognized God's
Word as it was read to them once more; and they wept. Nehemiah 8:9 (NLT) 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra
the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep
on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God.” For the people had all been weeping as
they listened to the words of the Law. Yes, some repentance was in order but Nehemiah told the people
not to weep and be sorrowful. Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT) 10 And Nehemiah continued, “Go
and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared.
This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
If they would dwell on their sin, it would cause them to be weak. Dwelling on our own inadequacies may seem like
a humble thing to do; but it is really self-centered and it says that we don't think God is able to give us whatever
it is we need. The idea was that they had to turn from their sin and be joyful because that joy in being right with
the Lord, now matter what they had to give up, would be their strength. Is your life is filled with a lack of peace
and strength right now? Why don't you check your joy-level? Without joy you will not have strength. Without
strength, you will feel like you're fighting a losing battle. And the truth is, you probably are!
Have you noticed that depression saps you of your strength. Although depression can be due to chemical imbalances in
our body, it can also be due to spiritual imbalances! The joy of the Lord will cure much of it and strength becomes
renewed! Don't just take a capful of joy; take all that God is trying to give you! Fill every crevice of
your heart and mind with it! Look what King David said: Psalm 21:1 (NLT) 1 How the king rejoices in your
strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because you give him victory. Is God the same today as
he was yesterday and will be tomorrow? The answer is, "Yes." So now, I'm gong to redo this verse and
put in my own name. You do the same if you're so inclined and put your own name in the blanks. " How
____________________ rejoices in Your strength, O LORD! How ________________ shouts with joy because You
give _________________ the victory." Are you now full of it? The joy of the Lord, that is. His
peace is ours when we are filled with His joy. His strength is ours giving us the ability to go on cheerfully knowing
that He gives us the victory! Shalom. And another thing! Joy! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 2, 2010 STAY TRUE TO THE LORD Philippians 4:1 (NIV) This morning I need to go back a couple of steps. I have always been one who liked
to hurry to get things done and go on to the next thing! In doing so, sometimes, I miss something in the process. I've
been thinking about the steps that we can see in Philippians 4:1- 7 that will allow us to be in the position to fully experience God's peace. The kind that we can't
explain. One of those steps, and probably one that should be spoken of second, after knowing that we are loved, is
that we stay true to the Lord. There are so many things that can make us take our eyes off of Him. When
that happens, our hearts can become divided. James 4:8 (AMP) 8 Come close to God and He will
come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering
individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery]. James
is talking to the church when he speaks of the fact that some of us become wavering individuals with divided interests.
This is not good but we do have a way of escape. That way is to stay true to the Lord. That is to renew our
minds daily (and, if you're like me, sometimes momentarily) with His Word. Staying true to the Lord is of
utmost importance since our prayers will be hindered, and even thwarted, if we are double-minded! James 1:6-8 (NIV) 6 But when he asks, he must believe
and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he
is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. We will not have the wisdom we need to cope with
things in this world. James 1:5 (NIV) 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he
should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. We cannot
know God's true peace if we do not walk in wisdom. If we do not walk single-mindedly in Christ. Proverbs 3:16 (TLB) 16 Wisdom gives: A long, good life,
Riches, Honor, Pleasure, Peace. Wisdom gives peace! Other versions of the Bible say, "stand fast in the Lord, and "stand firm in the Lord."
This seems to imply that we don't waver. That we stay on track with the Lord by remaining in His Word. That we
steadily follow Him. The Greek word for standing fast really means to be stationary and, figuratively, to
persevere. That same word is used in: Galatians 5:1 (KJV) 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. When we
stand fast in the Lord, we also stand fast in the liberty that He has given us. Standing fast may sound like a hard
thing and sometimes it is. But, standing fast will enable us not to become slaves again to sin. Even though it
is hard to dig your heels into the Lord's Word and stand when everyone else seems to be going the wrong way, it
is freeing! Are you standing fast? Are you taking a stand and refusing to budge? We can do this only
because God gives us the strength. The very Rock that we stand upon is also our strength! Psalm 62:7 (KJV) 7 In God is my salvation and my
glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. That same word is used again in:
Philippians 1:27 (NLT) 27 Above all, you must live as
citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see
you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the faith, which
is the Good News. Obviously, standing fast, or standing firm, in the Lord affects the amount of
peace we have in our lives. When we are tangled up with a yoke of bondage or slavery, we will not have peace.
When we are not in unity, standing firm, side by side, with other believers, we will not have peace either. Standing
firm in the Lord and with other believers is one step that is of great importance in achieving the experience of having
the peace that passes all understanding! Paul explained to
the Thessalonians that it meant everything to him if he knew that they were standing firm in the Lord. It was his very
life to know that those to whom he ministered were standing fast in the Lord no matter what challenges came against them.
1 Thessalonians 3:8 (TLB) 8 We can bear anything as long
as we know that you remain strong in him. The Apostle, Paul, had great troubles in his life.
Crushing troubles. However, it was his joy and even his life to know that those to whom God had placed in his
life for ministry were on the right track. Taking a stand. Persevering. It gave Paul a reason to
keep going and encouraged him by affirming that he, too, was on the right track! It is like that today too. Those who
minister to us, if they are truly ministers, will find strength and joy in the fact that you and I stand firm in the Lord.
They will find peace because they will know that the Word they planted in us is bearing fruit. We will have peace
too. When our minds are stayed on Jesus, when they stand firm in Him, we will find perfect peace from our Father.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (KJV) 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye
in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: If that peace that passes all
understanding seems to be evading you right now, perhaps you missed this step. Stay firm in the Lord. It's not
too late to take a step backward and make sure that your mind and heart is stayed on the Lord. If you do, you will
find that God honors your steps toward Him, even if it means that you have to take a step backward to go forward! He
will keep you in perfect peace. That kind of peace is the peace that you will never understand. Neither will
those around you! Everyone will know that this peace that you are experiencing can only come from God. May the
God of peace get all the glory when we receive His peace that passes all human understanding! Shalom! MORNING MANNA - MARCH 1, 2010 A STEP TOWARD PEACE IS TO BE A PEACEMAKER I have been on a quest to find the steps that I am responsible for to achieve the peace that
God wants to give me. And to give you! It's the kind of peace that we cannot engineer or create.
It is a peace that passes all of our understanding. One step that I see in Philippians 4:3 is that we are to be peacemakers. A couple of women that worked with Paul in telling the
world about Jesus had an argument. They had worked side by side for some time in agreement. But, suddenly, for
whatever reason, they began to quarrel. Paul asked those in the church at Philippi to help these women to settle
their argument. Why? Because they belonged to the Lord. Philippians 4:2 (NLT) 2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche.
Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. If we belong to Jesus then we should
be like Jesus and His focus was on unity between Himself and the Father. He carried that further. He wanted
us to be in unity with Him as He was in unity with the Father. Then, He carried it even further. He wanted
us to be in unity with one another. That doesn't mean we lose our identity as the unique individual He made each one
of us. It means that we be like-minded in Christ and we don't let the smaller things in life cause us to come
into disagreement and strife. It means that we give up the desire to control everything! Who do you belong to?
Most of us reading this already belong to the Lord. Are there other names we could insert instead of Euodia and
Syntyche? Hopefully, one of those names will not be our own name! But, if it is, God is ready to forgive
us when we are ready to take the steps to settle our differences with another! At times, when you're right in the center of a disagreement, it's hard to see clearly. In Philippians 4:3, Paul is asking others to help these women solve the thing that is bring division between them.
When we see others in disagreement, what do we do? Gossip about it? Judge them? Snub them? Ignore
them? Perhaps God is calling all of us who are believers to help them! If there is any strife in the
family of God here on earth (and there really should not be because we all belong to the Lord), what can we do to help
make things right? Certainly not take one side over another, thereby pitting the opponents more strongly
against one another! What did Jesus say about peacemakers? Matthew 5:9 (KJV) 9 Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called the children of God. We all have the choice. We can be peacemakers
or not. What is a peacemaker? It is one who lives a peaceful life. But, it is more than that. Peacemakers
are people who, as the Life Application Bible Commentary says, seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:11 (NIV) 11 He must turn from evil and do
good; he must seek peace and pursue it. They notice when a conflict arises. They bring it
out into the open and deal with it before it grows too large. Peacemakers seek to bring reconciliation.
They work to bring an end to bitterness and resentment. In essence, they reflect the character of Jesus, who
is, the Prince of Peace. In the Book of Titus, we find a little reminder. Titus 3:1-2 (NIV) 1 Remind the people to be
subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2
to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. Because
we all belong to the Lord, we should be peaceable and not be agitators. But, peacemakers take that a step further
and they try to help others who are having difficulty with disagreement come to peace with each other again. If
we choose to be peacemakers, we will be blessed. Jesus promised. One of those blessings will be that
we have taken another step toward the full experience of the peace that passes all human understanding! A truly wise person will seek to be a peacemaker. James 3:17-18 (NIV) 17 But the wisdom that comes from
heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Look
what happens when we, not only choose to live in peace ourselves, but then try to help others to do the same! What
we sow in peace will produce a whole harvest of righteousness! The Amplified Bible says that when we make
peace in ourselves and in others, we will experience agreement and harmony without disturbance and our minds will be
free from fears, agitating passions and moral conflicts! How many of us, from time to time, get caught up in
fear? In some sort of passion that brings agitation instead of productivity? Do we ever feel caught between a
rock and a hard place when it comes to moral conflict? How many of us really want to be free from these distracting
disturbances? One step to being free and enjoying a peace within us that goes beyond description is to help others
when they struggle with conflict. To be a peacemaker. There are so many reasons we might want to be peacemakers.
The benefits to ourselves are numerous. But, perhaps the greatest reason is that we all belong to Jesus and we all
want to be more like Him. There are many things that we can disagree upon or agree upon, depending on our various
personalities and intellects. But there is One that we must all agree with and agree upon. That is Jesus
Christ, the Prince of Peace. If you have time to read the following illustration, it may bring that point home.
We will reap what we sow and, if we sow peace in our own lives and into the lives of others, the blessing is the
peace that passes all understanding! Arthur Balfour, the British statesman
and premier, who died in 1930, was giving a lecture at Edinburgh University on this subject, "The Moral Values Which
Unite Mankind." In the audience was a student from Japan who was busily taking notes. In his masterly way Mr. Balfour presented
the different points of unity which bring peoples together: knowledge, commerce, communication, a spirit of brotherhood.
A burst of applause followed his conclusion. The chairman arose to thank the speaker, but before a word could be uttered
a voice came from the balcony. It was the Japanese student: "But, Mr. Balfour, What about Jesus Christ?" The breathless silence indicated that
the audience felt this was just a rebuke. A leading statesman of a world empire that is supposed to be Christian had not
said a word about the one and only source of peace and unity in the world—our Lord. Would that more people would be peacemakers
and shout: "What about Jesus Christ?" Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 28, 2010 GOD FROWNS ON SIBLING RIVALRY! Philippians 4:2 (NLT) It appears that Euodia and Syntyche were at odds with one another.
You might think they were worldly people in the rat race of life trying to outdo one another for some position or power.
No! They were women who were workers in the Kingdom of God. They worked hard at telling the good news of the
gospel. Yet, they succumbed to quarreling with one another. We are not told what they quarreled about.
It could be anything. Maybe they lived with one another and one was a person who desired order and the other was one
who was not bothered by clutter. It could have been as simple as that. Whatever it was, it hindered the will
of God. Jesus wants us to be in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. John 17:23 (NIV) 20 "My prayer is not for them
alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that
all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe
that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they
may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete
unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. I do
believe that the closer we get to one another in relationship, the more the chance there is that we will have disagreements.
After all, we do not all do things the same way and we do have different personalities! I have heard that there
is a great temptation to be in discord among missionaries working together. I don't think Jesus would have prayed
so fervently that we would operate in unity if there was not the strong chance that there would be quarreling and
discord among us! I'm thinking of a personal example here.
I have a very dear friend who would do anything for me. Her thoughts toward me are unbelievably loving and compassionate.
I have had periods in my life of physical challenges that left me behind in everything, including housework. Being
the tender and kind-hearted friend that she is, she came to the house to help me catch up. As we were making a bed, she
put the top sheet on right side up. I, showing extreme ungratefulness, insisted that the top sheet goes on
upside down so you can fold the right side over the blanket when you put that on. We both love the Lord and desire
to follow Him. We both love each other. However, the discussion about how this top sheet would go on
the bed became an issue between us, each of us trying to prove to the other that our way was the, "right," way.
For a moment, Jesus was out of the picture. What was more important to me? Being right? Or, being grateful
that my friend would want to help me get clean sheets on the bed? Did I see Jesus in her, even though she did
things differently than I would? Or, was I so set in my ways that Jesus had to go by the wayside in favor of
the sheet being a certain way on the bed? How silly is that? I have lamented that little argument many times.
It did not turn into a big thing but it did show me that so many of the things we do are totally unimportant as far as the
way we do them or our particular personality bent. There are many other things that we do as the Body of Christ that
keep us from enjoying the peace that passes understanding that God wants to give us! Denominations put their
name before the name of Christ, causing arguments. Who are we serving and why should we argue and quarrel? I
would say that it is because we have not totally renewed our minds by the Word of God. It is because, "self,"
insists on the right to be right. Jesus has lost His place as the center of our lives and actions. Instead
of lifting Him up so He can draw all people to Himself, we lift ourselves up. Or our denomination. This
is not pleasing to God! And, it does not lead to the peace we all desire within ourselves and among ourselves! As we have been looking at Philippians 4:2, the second step (this is in my own opinion), is that we must stop quarreling with each other. Let's look
at some of the things God has to say about this. Proverbs 20:3 (AMP) 3 It is an honor for a man to cease
from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel. I do not want to be labeled by
God as being a, "fool." I doubt if you do either. However, God says fools quarrel. Are
you in disagreement with another believer? Are you in a quarrel with another who claims the name of Christ?
What does God say about you? What creates quarrels among us? Proverbs 13:10 (NIV) 10 Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice. This is not a pleasant thing to think about but, if we
are quarreling with another, pride is the breeding ground. That doesn't just mean that the other person in
the quarrel has a pride problem. There is an element of pride in each party or the quarrel would end. It would
have nothing to feed on! Pride is the sin of the enemy. He wanted to be right and to be equal with or better
than God. When we always have to defend ourselves and argue that we are right, a disagreement will surely
ensue. God is the only One who is always right. If you are on God's side and have His Word to back
you up, you don't have to argue or defend yourself with another. God is your defender. When we try
to take over God's place, there is certainly no peace! And how does gossip affect our peace by bringing on arguments?
Proverbs 26:20-21 (NIV) 20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down. 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to
fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. Obviously, there can be no peace where there is strife
between us. God's Word says that, if we do not gossip, a quarrel will die down. However, a quarrelsome or argumentative
person will just add fuel to the fire! What do we do? Are we the person who has to repeat everything
or are we the one who does not add wood to the fire? Proverbs 10:12 (TLB) 12 Hatred stirs old quarrels, but
love overlooks insults. Hatred stirs up quarrels and discord. That's pretty evident.
But! But, love overlooks offensive things, hurtful things, insults. The kind of love that is most talked
about in our society and time is not the kind of love that can overlook these things. It is the kind of love that we
talked about yesterday in the, Morning Manna. The kind that is more interested in the other's well-being than it's
own. This is a very hard, sacrificial type of love. It is unconditional. We cannot give it unless we have
first received it because it comes from God. The kind of love we see predominantly today is a love that says,
"You hurt me so I'm going to try to hurt you back." "I'm going to tell everybody what you did to me."
This is a self-love that is so far from what brings true peace! All of the above and so many more things contribute
to quarreling and struggles between God's children. We are siblings. We are all God's children. He
doesn't love any one of us more than He loves the other. He may bless some children more because of obedience but His
love for each of us is the same. He looks down on our discord. He desires unity. That can only be
achieved by taking the first step toward peace and that is knowing that we are loved. Receiving that unconditional
love from God will allow us to overlook hurts to ourselves from others. Just think how uncluttered our minds
would be if we didn't mull over and over again the things that have bothered us or hurt us? Just think about how filled
with the Spirit of the God of peace we would be if we filled all those empty areas with Him! Yes, God does frown
on sibling rivalry but His blessing of peace is on those who are in unity with one another and with Him! Shalom! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 27, 2010 YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED! Philippians 4:1 (KJV) I must say that I have been very engrossed in the passage of scripture from Philippians 4:1-9! Every time I read through it, it seems like God drops more of Himself into my heart. I hope
it is the same way with you this morning. I have found eleven steps in Philippians 4:1-7 to experiencing the peace that God has for us. The kind that just comes over us, even in dire
circumstances. The kind we cannot explain away by any human standards. In Philippians 4:1, the Apostle Paul is writing some instructions to those in the Philippian Church. At
the very beginning of this letter of exhortation and admonishment, Paul writes the following: Philippians 1:1-2 1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ,
to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Although
this is a rather familiar greeting in the Jewish culture, it is a heartfelt greeting from Paul to those in the church
at Phlippi. It is heartfelt because he loves those people! He wants them to have the peace that passes
all understanding. The peace that means that they are complete, well-off and healthy. Remember when they
used to use the phrase, "healthy, wealthy, and wise?" Look again at the meaning of God's kind of peace.
Complete (or wise), well-off (or having wealth), and healthy! I wonder if that phrase came from the greeting of peace that
God gave the Jewish people to give to one another? From the offset, Paul is giving those he loves in the church
at Philippi the blessing of God's peace! In Philippians, Chapter 4, he's about to let them know what they need to do
to experience such peace, but, first off, he tells them how much he loves them. Twice, in Philippians 4:1, Paul uses the word, beloved to describe those to whom he is writing. This word, "beloved,"
comes from the root word, "agapao," which is the same word that describes the love God has for you and me.
A love that wants the best for the other party. A love that does not give up, not matter what is done to it.
It is the same word used by God, Himself, when Jesus was baptized. Matthew 3:16-17 (KJV) 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Paul was encouraging the Philippians and building
them up before giving them the list of responsibilities they needed to meet to be able to experience the peace
that passes all human understanding. Love is always the foundation upon which God builds because God is
love! 1 John 4:8 (TLB) 8 But if a person isn’t loving
and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God—for God is love. Although the Apostle, Paul, was probably
a very stern, strict man and many of his writings are hard to understand, he followed the example of God by uplifting the
people he spoke to with words of love. Twice in this one verse in Philippians 1:1! He wanted to be sure they knew that he loved them with an unconditional love! It's important
to know that the foundation of our peace is knowing that we are loved. John 3:16 (KJV) 16 For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The
word used here for God's love toward each and every one of us is, "agapao." Not a one of us is worthy of
such love; but God is love. He has chosen to love each one of us and He wants us to know that for sure!
Romans 9:25 (NIV) 25 As he says in Hosea: "I
will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"
Do you know that you are loved with a love that will never fail, no matter what you do? Do you receive
that love and then operate in it so that you will not do things that displease the One who loves you so? Even as God
told the Israelites thousands of years ago, Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT) 3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. Just
like the Israelites, some of us may have been rebellious and lived in a way displeasing to God but, whatever we have
done, did not, and could never, change the unending love that God has for us. If we will receive that love,
we will have taken the first step toward experiencing His peace. I can't comprehend any of this with my human
mind but God's love and peace have been given to us if we will receive it and and follow the instructions in His Word. We all want to know we are loved. We desperately want
to know it. If we have doubts as to whether we are loved or not, peace is the farthest thing from us! We
want it from our spouses, from our children, from our parents, from our friends, from our pastors. Some of us get
that assurance from others and some of us don't. Sometimes we feel unloved because someone actually does withdraw
their love from us and sometimes we feel unloved because our expectations of the other person are just more than they have
to offer. We go through seasons of feeling loved or unloved, depending on our circumstances. However,
when it concerns love, there is only one "season," with God! That season is love. From His Word,
we know that we are loved by Him. We can say we don't believe it; but we can also say we don't believe in
the law of gravity. Whether we believe it or it, it's there and, put to the test, both God's love and the law of gravity
will be in effect! Do not test this by jumping off of a tall building! We can search for peace in this world
and usually we will be led to all the wrong places. Places that will only fulfill a temporary, carnal desire within
us. The truth is that we cannot take steps toward real peace, unbelievable peace, until we know beyond a shadow of
a doubt that we are loved. Loved by our Heavenly Father, whose love will never fail. Whose love always looks
out for our best interests. Whose love prompts Him to want to give good gifts to His children (that's us!). Whose
love will not ever fade or falter. Have you taken the first step toward finding the peace that passes all the understanding
you can muster up in your mind? Is your mind and heart settled on the fact that you are loved? Whether
you believe it or not, you are! You better believe it. Shalom! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 26, 2010 REPEATING THE STEPS FOR UNBELIEVABLE PEACE Philippians 4:7 (TLB) I am writing on the very same verse that I wrote about yesterday for a few reasons. One is that I
need to more carefully follow the steps to experiencing that peace that passes all human understanding. The second
is that someone asked me yesterday to just put the steps down in order. The third reason is that I suspect that we
all have circumstances and issues in our lives that distract us and get us to dwell on the negative and the unrest rather
than on the very simple (yet not always easy) steps we can take to ensure that we experience all that God wants for us in
the area of peace! According to Philippians 4:1-7, here are the Apostle Paul's instructions, step-by-step, to find unbelievable peace even in the midst of the worst
storm. This is the kind of peace that no human can explain away! As they say today, "It's a, "God,"
thing! Ready? Here we go! 1. Know that
you are loved. (Philippians 4:1) 2. Stay true to the Lord. (Philippians 4:1) 3. Do not quarrel with other believers. (Philippians 4:2) 4. Be a peacemaker. (Philippians 4:3) 5. Always be full of the joy of the Lord. (Philippians 4:4) 6. Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4) 7. Be considerate and unselfish. (Philippians 4:5) 8. Remember that the Lord is coming soon. (Philippians 4:5) 9. Don't worry. (Philippians 4:6) 10. Pray abut everything. (Philippians 4:6) 11. Thank God for His answers. (Philippians 4:6) I took these steps from reading the paraphrase
in The Living Bible, but I would challenge you that, if you really want that wonderful peace that will be beyond your ability
to explain it, read the passage in several different versions. Think about those things that will help you to follow
the above eleven steps. Philippians 4:8 NLT) 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters,
one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think
about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. After dwelling on anything and everything that
is excellent and worthy of praise, begin to put into practice those eleven steps above. Not only will you have
the kind of peace that is unbelievable, it will guard your heart and mind because you are living in Christ Jesus by putting
these things into practice in your life. The final result? The God of peace will be with you! Not only
will peace invade your very being; the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 (NLT) 9 Keep putting into practice all
you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with
you. I think that pretty much covers us and fills us with peace! Here is an
example of the promise of peace from the Old Testament. Isaiah 26:3 (TLB) 3 He will keep in perfect peace
all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! I would guess that we have all heard
the term, "Shalom," with which Jewish people greet one another. That is the word God uses here in Isaiah 26:3 for "peace." In essence that word means completeness; welfare, and health. When we follow
the steps above, we are keeping our hearts on the Lord and His promise in return is that we will be made complete.
Nothing missing nothing broken. Wouldn't you say that following the steps to this kind of peace is a worthwhile
venture? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 25, 2010 STEPS TO GET SOMETHING YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND Philippians 4:7 (NLT) 7 Then you will experience
God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ
Jesus. Don't we
all want peace in and around us? Ladies, you probably try to make your home a peaceful place by keeping it in order
and perhaps creating some ambiance with flowers or candles or music. Men, you like peace too, don't you. You
are tired of office politics and back-stabbing. You want peace in your business and among those you work with.
If you're a believer, you do things that create peace instead of strife. We try to create peace by the things we do.
We have good motives but that just won't work because it's not what we do, but who we are. The things
we do are good but peace has to flow from the inside out and we can't create it; but, we can put ourselves in a position
where we can experience the peace that only God gives. After I have just harped about the fact that it's not what we
do that creates peace, I'm going to sound like I'm contradicting myself for a moment. I'm convinced that it
is not what we do, but why we do it, that makes the difference. Notice that in Philippians 4:7, the first word in the New Living Translation is, "Then." Paul is telling us that we will experience
God's peace. He's telling us that it is way beyond what we can understand with our minds. And, he's also telling
us that it will guard our hearts and minds. But, that's not the end of the verse. The final words are, "as
you live in Christ Jesus." Why do we see the
word, "Then," at the beginning of Philippians 4:7? I think it is because Paul has given us some instructions as to how to experience this peace that
comes from God. This sort of peace that we will never be able to wrap our arms around until we see the Prince of Peace,
face to face. Paul's instructions have to do with doing things but the things we do cannot come out of our desire to
control things. They must come from hearts so submissive to the Prince of Peace that we are willing to "live
in Him," by doing the things He tells us to do. For sure, this peace that's going to stagger our mind's ability
to understand it, comes from Him and Him alone. He's able to give it even if we don't do anything. But,
He's inviting us to partner with Him in bringing it about. I'm amazed, so maybe I've said this before; there's not
a promise in God's Word that does not ask us to do something. Christianity is not a, "sit back and be
blessed," state. It is a, "get up and get going," way of life. Notice that we don't sit in our
chair and wait to be promoted to the next level. No! We press forward! Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT) 12 I don’t mean to say that
I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection
for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have
not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through
Christ Jesus, is calling us. No matter what situation we are in, we can press forward. If
you are in a nursing home or a hospital, don't stop pressing. You can do something. You can pray. You
can re-dedicate your life to God. If you're a high-powered, energetic business man, you, too, can press forward. You
can let the Lord know that, from now on, you're partnering with Him with all of your assets, helping those less fortunate
than yourself. Even if you've, "got it made," so far as this world is concerned, you must press
on. God's Word says so. God's Word also gives us steps
to open ourselves for the blessing of that peace that some of us have not found yet. Do you want that peace?
Of course you do! We all do!! So what do we need to do? First of all, if you have a disagreement with
another believer, find a way to restore that relationship. Philippians 4:2-3 (NLT) 2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche.
Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you,
my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along
with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. Yes! It does
happen! Even those of us working for the Lord can destroy our peace and the peace of others by arguing. We're
all human. That's just the way it is. But, it is supernatural to find and follow ways of reconciliation.
Here are the next steps: Philippians 4:4-5 (NLT) 4 Always be full of joy in the
Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in
all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. We need to always be full of the joy of the Lord. This
does not say be full of the joy of the Lord if you are rich. Or, if all your children are obedient. Or, if you
are not behind in your bills. Or, (you fill in the blank). No! It says, "always."
Now, we need to be considerate in all that we do. It says, "all." What kind of tip do you leave to
the over-worked waitress? Do you leave that shopping cart in the parking lot or do you take it back so the wind won't
crash it into somebody's car? Do you find ways to encourage your pastor and the leadership of your church? Are
you considerate of your spouse after they have worked hard all day? And, how considerate are you if another driver
does something that irritates you? What else? We need to remember that the Lord is coming soon.
Don't we, especially those of us in this blessed land of America, tend to forget that the Lord is coming soon? Or,
do we wait for the government to bail us out? Who or what are we waiting for? Okay, are you ready for more?
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) 6 Don’t worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. So, what are
you worried about today? It may be numerous things! But, to find and experience within ourselves that peace
that will boggle our minds because we can't understand it, we need to stop worrying! Jesus said so! Luke 12:22-31 (NLT) 22 Then, turning to his disciples,
Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough
clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.
24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns,
for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can
all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t
accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? 27
“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all
his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so
wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you
have so little faith? 29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat
and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate
the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. Now,
we're determined not to worry, so what do we do next? We pray about everything. We tell God about our
biggest fears, failures, dreams and desires. We tell Him everything! Lastly, we thank God for all He
has done. Why? Because, as the song truthfully says, "He'll do it again!" because He's the same now
as then! Governments change their policies. Spouses change their ways. Children are always changing.
But, our God never changes and one of His names is Prince of Peace. That's the peace that defies our human understanding.
It belongs to those who will follow the Kingdom principles laid out in the scripture above. Are you ready to go forward
and follow the steps to finding that peace that you will never, ever be able to understand because it is totally from God?
The Word of God works! Make a list of those steps and check them out when you find yourself in a situation where you
cannot feel the peace He has already placed inside you. Pretty soon, you will be flooded with an undeniably God-given,
burden-busting, unbelievable-----------peace! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 24, 2010 WALKING IN PEACE Galatians 5:16 (NKJV) I've been learning, and trying to incorporate in my life, a fleshless, selfless character. Selfishness
is rampant in our society. It is even lauded and applauded in many circles. "It's all about me!"
You've seen ads that tell you, "You deserve it." You've also probably read articles touting the importance
of taking care of self. That is important when we do it in a Biblically balanced way but, I'm sure you will agree,
that it has gotten quite out of balance in the world. And the world does call loudly to us to accept it's ways.
Yet, the one thing I notice in the world is that, with all of the, "It's all about me," attitudes and mind-sets,
there is an extreme lack of peace. Everyone wants peace but so many are walking in the opposite direction, reaching
for things that, while they may give a temporary sense of peace, are fleeting and give way to even more unrest! As
believers, we're called to crucify the fleshly desires. I just noticed that one good reason to do this is to
separate ourselves from scoffers. From those who oppose the true Word of God. 2 Peter 3:3 (AMP) 3 To begin with, you must know
and understand this, that scoffers (mockers) will come in the last days with scoffing, [people who] walk after their own
fleshly desires We certainly don't want to fall into that category. Scoffers cause dissension
and, of course, peace does not prevail. Crucifying
the flesh is not an easy thing and it is usually a process. Just when we think we have crucified a desire within us
that is fleshly and not Godly, we will be tested again. I'm not sure that we ever quite, "make it," until
we see Jesus. We are a work in progress constantly being made into the image of Christ (if we will cooperate with the
Molder of the image). Romans 8:29 (TLB) 29 For from the very beginning
God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son, so that his
Son would be the First, with many brothers. Putting our flesh to death is a painful process but
there is a way we can do this that will not involve so much violence and pain. We need to start thinking the thoughts
of God instead of the thoughts of this world! Let's take a little test here. What are your thoughts fixed on
this morning? Whether the weather is going to be bad? Whether you are going to be able to get out
of bed? Is the bank balance going to fall below zero? Will my children be safe today? Am I going to
be let go from my job? There are lots of things we start thinking just as soon as we open our eyes in the morning.
I even start thinking before I open my eyes! My eyes may be the last part of my body to wake up! The first
few things I begin to think about are going to form my day. They will either promote peace in my life or confusion
and insecurity. If I have the wrong feelings when I begin to interact with others during the day, I just
might destroy someone else's peace also! Write down the things that we're supposed to think about from Philippians 4:8. Take the list to bed with you if you have to. Are the first thoughts you think, true? Are they
honest? Are they pure? Just? Lovely? Are they of good report? Finally, are they virtuous thoughts?
Are the thoughts worthy of praise? That's a starting place each morning! If your thoughts don't match up with
these parameters, trash them! Negative thoughts will only promote a day filled with discord within you and among those
you meet. Plus, you will have then filled your mind with the things that please God and there will be no room left
for your flesh to operate! Renewing our minds always is a
given in order to make sure our flesh is dead cannot resurrect! The writer of, "The Message," has these
thoughts about Romans 12:2 (MSG) 2 Don't become so well-adjusted
to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the
inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging
you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. In
essence, we not only have to change our ways of thinking because our minds are inundated daily with the wrong thoughts that
come from our culture but we need to walk the other way. What is the other way? It is walking in the Spirit.
Here is another fairly non-violent way of killing our fleshly appetites. We're each going to walk out into the world
around us today. We will have lots of choices to go down some rabbit trails and get away from the Spirit of the Lord.
We've got to make it our choice to walk in the Spirit! With our mind's renewed and our feet walking where the Spirit
leads us, there will be no insecurity. There will be no confusion. There will be no anger. No Resentment.
No bitterness. There will just be peace from the inside out! And, somebody's going to be touched for the better
by our lives! The scripture says that, if we walk in the spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts
of the flesh! Again, the writer of, The Message, has his take on Galatians 5:16 (MSG) 16 My counsel is this: Live freely,
animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. I don't know
that we will instantly not feel the compulsions of selfishness but I do know this; whatever we feed will grow and whatever
we do not feed will die. Jesus did set you and me free. John 8:36 (TLB) 36 So if the Son sets you free,
you will indeed be free— We used to be slaves of sin. Jesus told the Jewish leaders that. John 8:34: (TLB) 34 Jesus replied, "You are slaves of
sin, every one of you. But now, we are set free to walk in peace. What could be greater than living
a life of peace? It's our choice though. We can try to run back to the world's ways when challenges come into
our lives. Or, we can determine to continue renewing our minds with God's thoughts and walking in His Spirit.
When we get on God's side, think His thoughts, and walk by His Spirit, a peace starts to rise from the inside out.
It's a peace that we can't understand. Others cannot understand it either when they see us in some pretty scary and
threatening circumstances. Philippians 4:7 (NLT) 7 Then you will experience God’s
peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Have
you been having some trouble dealing with the voices that tell you lies and urge you to go back into slavery to the
world? You can overcome. In fact, if you are a believer in Christ, you have already overcome! 1 John 4:4 (NRSV) 4 Little children, you are from
God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. The
Jesus in us is greater than any lure that comes from the world. Our part is to renew our minds by thinking those good
thoughts that come from God and to walk according to His Spirit. No matter what we are going through, if we do
this, we will be walking in peace! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 23, 2010 UNSELFISHLY WORKING TOWARD PEACE Proverbs 10:10 (NLT) Where does
the lack of peace among ourselves come from? I found a clue in the following passage from scripture.
James 4:1-3 (NLT) 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t
they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill
to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from
them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you
don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. Basically,
it comes from being selfish. Self-centered instead of God-centered. Sometimes we see what others have and
we feel entitled to those things and become covetous and resentful because we don't have them. Sometimes we're just
afraid that we're missing out on something, especially if we listen to what the world tells us. Then the fight begins.
It always begins on the inside of us. The spirit is warring against the flesh. Not comfortable! But, we
are told that we are to die to the flesh. Not many people like to talk about death; but this is a death that is necessary
in order to protect the peace! Romans 8:6 (AMP) 6 Now the mind of the flesh [which
is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and
hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. What is the
mind of the flesh? The most important thing to remember is that it leads to death! What it is, essentially,
is a self-centered mind. A mind that is interested primarily in its own wants and needs. That's why we must
crucify the flesh. Galatians 5:24 (AMP) 24 And those who belong to Christ
Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. It's sad to say that it is our own wants, passions, appetites
and desires that cause division among us and keep us from achieving the peace that God intended for us to have with one
another. Proverbs 10:10 tells us that, if we wink at sin, we do wrong. It also tells us that a bold reproof brings peace.
God certainly does not wink at sin. Not ours. Not anyone's! The following passage from Habakkuk implies
that God will not stand idly by while there is sin going on. Habakkuk 1:13 (NLT) 13 But you are pure and cannot stand
the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous
than they? What we need to remember, while promoting peace through a bold reproof, is that, in no way,
should that reproof be a result of our hurt feelings or perceived offenses on the part of the one being rebuked. If
self enters into the reproof, we may be deceived into thinking we are working toward peace. But, what we are really
working toward is the right to be right. And that is selfish. Only God is always right and only God has the right
to be right all the time. Even God, although He is right all the time, will not force us into agreeing with His principles
and decisions! Although He doesn't have to, He will allow us to make the choice to go against what is right. Our
self is very strong. It can resist God and He will not force it into His mold. He does ask us to get rid of it
though. I heard today that the only way we can kill self is to put all of our love on God. As we do that, self
will begin to melt away and anger, bitterness, and resentment (along with our hurt feelings) will start to vanish. This
is a battle that must be fought every day because self is a determined character. Self may get knocked down and look
dead for a while but, like those horror movies we should not be watching, the evil thing will resurrect itself and continue
on a rampage of death and destruction. So, are we not to reprove sin when we see it? According to Proverbs 10:10, if we do not reprove sin, peace will not be achieved. Sin is the issue here. Not our hurt feelings or our selfish
feelings of insecurity. Addressing sin is much different than addressing hurts and offenses. If we do not have peace within ourselves, how can we promote peace between one another? And how do we have
peace within ourselves when the circumstances all around us are so chaotic? First of all, as believers, we all have
peace within ourselves. Jesus gave it to us. John 14:27 (NIV) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. There
we have it! Jesus said it. He did it. But, we have to believe and receive it! If we choose not to
let his peace operate on the inside of us, we will never be able to promote it among others and in our relationships!
What can hinder the peace that Jesus left within us? Self! The hurts we dwell on. The injustices we don't
let go of. The hardships that we remain bitter about. The control we want over others to maintain our own comfort.
The envy when someone else gets something that we wanted. Well, I'm sure you can continue this list and we could go
on and on and on. What can allow us to fully receive and enjoy the peace that Jesus left inside of us? It's simple,
but it's hard at the same time. Keeping our eyes on Him. Loving Him with all of our heart. Letting Him have
the cares inside of us that make us insecure and prone to trying to change others and reprove them. The enemy would
love to see us filled with contention. That's because he wants us to be just like him. Pride was his downfall.
He was more interested in himself than in God. More interested in getting his own way than following the ways of God.
Proverbs 13:10 (NLT) 10 Pride leads to conflict; those
who take advice are wise. When our self gets in the way, pride steps right up to the plate. It will lead
to conflict which is different than Godly confrontation of an issue. It will cause us to operate from our emotions rather
than God's Spirit. Peace cannot be promoted or achieved. It will be conflict, driven by emotions and self-centeredness
rather than confrontation that comes from the Spirit and Word of God. Jesus left us with a good example. He said
we should do the same works He did. On the cross, He forgave those who were causing him pain. He also thought
about the welfare of those He loved and orchestrated a mother-son relationship for his mother and his beloved disciple, John.
What cross are you bearing this morning? What are your thoughts about that cross? Do you blame the ones who put
it on your back or are you asking God to forgive them? Are you more interested in the welfare of others or are you simply
moaning from the pain of the wood on your back, the nails in your hands and feet, and the spear in your side? Is the
example of your life a constant, though perhaps unspoken, reproof to those that are living in sin? How much of self
still lives in us, causing us to promote discord rather than peace? God is willing to take every hurt and pain that
would cause us unrest if we will just love Him more than anything or anyone in our lives. He's willing to work through
us so that we can bring others to His Kingdom of peace. Are we willing to let Him have all our hurts, insecurities,
wants, desires, passions, etc., knowing that He never takes anything from us without giving us something better in return?
Are we willing to give up self in order to allow His peace to operate within us and all around us? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 22, 2010 HONOR BRINGS PEACE 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (NLT) 12
Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among
you and give you spiritual guidance. In the same context of speaking about peace, Paul admonishes the church in Thessalonica to honor their
leaders. The ones who direct them in the ways of the Lord. Who works hard to give you spiritual guidance? The
Apostle, Paul, is saying here that we need to recognize these people for who they are. They are the ones who devote
their time and talent to guiding, teaching, instructing and encouraging God's people. There
are many today who labor in the Kingdom of God and we should acknowledge and respect them all. The Amplified Bible
says that these are the ones who warn us. Those who kindly reprove and exhort us. You know, when you think about
it, it's not an easy job. Most people do not like to be warned or admonished or reproved. But, God has gifted
true leaders and pastors to be able to admonish, warn and reprove gently. What a good leader will
do is to urge us to obedience. If you have leaders among you who do this, then honor them! As the scripture says,
they work hard among us to give us spiritual guidance. Hebrews 13:7 (NLT) 7 Remember your leaders who taught
you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. This
is not to say that we need to acknowledge and honor someone just because he or she says, "I'm a leader."
Or, "I'm a pastor." Or, whatever position they give themselves. A true leader in the Lord will be evident,
not by their title or position or even their seminary degrees. Their lives will show that they are leaders.
A true leader and one to be acknowledged and honored will
serve you and not demand to be served by you. Matthew 23:11-12 (NLT) 11 The greatest among you must
be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those
who humble themselves will be exalted. Being a true leader is not the glamorous job that the world
would like to make it. It requires great humility and a willingness to get down and get you hands dirty with the rest
of the flock. Do you see these kinds of people working within the Kingdom of God? Hopefully, your own pastor is one
of them. These are the people that we are to honor. Not because they demand it; but because they deserve
it. A good leader will never demand honor but God demands that we honor a true leader. Matthew 23:13 (NLT) 13 “What
sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven
in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. As
I see from Matthew 23:13, Jesus had a few things to say about those who claimed to be the leaders of His day. If those that
lead you are not holding the door of Heaven wide open for you, they are not true leaders. If they say one
thing and do another, not being true examples of one who follows Christ, they are not really leaders at all. This is
what happened in Jesus's day. One rendition of 1 Thessalonians 5:12 says that we should get to know and recognize those who are leading us in the Lord. If we
do not really watch, we can be fooled into following someone who may be a wolf in the clothing of a lamb! Matthew 7:15 (NLT) 15 “Beware of false prophets
who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. It is not the purpose of this Morning's
Manna to point out the false teachers of the day. Only to say that we should get to know our leaders and, if their
lives are an exhibition of the way Jesus lived and served, we should acknowledge them and honor them. Part of Romans 13:7 says this: "...... obey those over you, and give honor and respect to all those
to whom it is due." In this context. Paul is speaking of those in the government who have
rule over us but the concept is the same. We need to show honor to whom honor is due. As we can see in examples
throughout our world, when honor for those in authority is missing, peace is also missing! To honor someone,
does it mean that we have to agree with them all the time just, "to keep the peace?" I don't think so.
An absence of conflict doesn't always mean the presence of peace. Leaders are human beings too and they can make mistakes
and be wrong at times. When it comes to the preaching of God's Word, you and I are not supposed to just be babies
in the pews drinking in whatever comes from the pulpit. That's why the Berean's are commended by the Lord. They
went home and tested out everything they heard in accordance with the Word of God. Acts 17:11 (NIV) 11 Now the Bereans were of more
noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every
day to see if what Paul said was true. Those who are not willing to check to be sure what they are hearing
from their leaders is in accordance with God's Word are, in essence, in danger of, "drinking the Kool-Aid."
Of taking in something that will bring death instead of life. Honor does bring peace. Honoring those that serve
us and look out for us will help keep us in unity and on the straight and narrow road that Jesus spoke about. One way
to honor these people who give their lives to help God's people along is to do the following: 1 Thessalonians 5:13 (NLT) 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their
work. And live peacefully with each other. It's interesting, isn't it, that living peacefully with one
another is a way to show honor to our leaders and, no doubt, God is honored when we do this. It is not an easy, nor
is it a glorious job being a shepherd of God's sheep. But, you and I can make it easier for those who choose to follow
God's direction in this way by honoring them. The writer of The Message puts it this way: Hebrews 13:17 (MSG) 17 Be responsive to your pastoral
leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of
God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?
These men and women are going to give account to God for how they did in watching over our souls. Honoring
them by living in peace is one way to make their job a little bit easier! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 21, 2010 STEPS TOWARD PEACE 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (AMP) 11 Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen
and build up) one another, just as you are doing. While there are several passages in the scripture that let us know how to take steps toward peace, 1 Thessalonians 5:11-24 has caught my eye this morning. The Lord wants us, not only to realize
that His peace is within us, but to also have it show and do it's work among us, as we interact with one another. I
am thinking of the example of how the body of Christ has many members. They each have a certain function and most
do not look or act like the others. But, if they don't work in unity and are not at peace with one another, that body
is going to be dysfunctional! 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 (TLB) 14 Yes, the body has many parts,
not just one part. 15 If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because
I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And what
would you think if you heard an ear say, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye"? Would
that make it any less a part of the body? 17 Suppose the whole body were an eye—then
how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything? 18
But that isn’t the way God has made us. He has made many parts for our bodies and has put each part just
where he wants it. 19 What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one
part! 20 So he has made many parts, but still there is only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, "I don’t need you." The head can’t
say to the feet, "I don’t need you." 22 And some of the parts that
seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. 23 Yes, we are
especially glad to have some parts that seem rather odd! And we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that
should not be seen, 24 while of course the parts that may be seen do not require this
special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might
otherwise seem less important. 25 This makes for happiness among the parts,
so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves. 26 If
one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. I
know, this was an exceptionally long portion of scripture to read. But, it is God's Word that is going to heal us and
help us grow in His peace! Not only do we need to recognize that there are different acting and looking members of Christ's
body, we have to be at peace. If not, the Body will not function as He intended. As the Amplified Bible puts it, we are to do several things for one another. Those include encouraging which
comes in the form sometimes of admonishment and exhortation. We are also to edify one another which might come in
the form of building up one another and strengthening one another. These things can often tempt us to not be at
peace with one another! For instance, even though admonishment is meant to bring about a good result, how many of us
like to feel like we have been admonished? How many of us tend to think that the, "admonisher," doesn't have
any right to admonish? After all, they're not perfect! And, how many times is it painful to be built up. Just
think about your last physical exercise session. You may even have a personal trainer. As has been my experience,
this "building up" process almost always hurts and sometimes even leaves you sore for a few days after.
Has another believer tried to build you up and it hurt? Were you tempted to give up living at peace with them
and tell them to "take a hike?" What if you fell off a curb and broke your leg? Maybe you were even
doing something silly that caused you to fall? Now, what if your other leg decided that you were stupid and you
got what you deserved so it refused to do it's job? Now both legs are in opposition to one another and there's no way
you're going to stand up! I think that's why God wants us to live at peace with one another, don't you? When one
falls, the other is able to help him or her up. Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NLT) 10 If one person falls, the other
can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. If we are always arguing among
ourselves and not living at peace with one another, how will those that stumble be helped? It seems to me that Paul is giving us some first steps to living at peace with
one another in 1 Thessalonians 5:11-24. The very first one seems to be in the form of encouragement and help. My
husband has been working at a job for some four years now with very little encouragement or support, although he has given it
his all. Finally, by God's grace and His great favor, there was a breakthrough. He received a memo of encouragement
too! How far this sort of thing goes to help us keep going. To keep us on the right track. To know that
God has been with us, even though the going got really tough! How many times have you been encouraged (and remember
this could come in the form of admonishment or exhortation) by another believer and been able to keep going? How many
times have you been built up by another believer (edified and strengthened)? I can say that God has graciously
placed wonderful believers in my life who will tell me the truth about His Word. Who will encourage me to keep
going, even though I may not be all that I want to be at the moment. One of the ways we can live at peace
with one another is by upholding the Word of God and reminding each other of it's truth. Of it's healing power.
Of it's ability to change our attitudes and emotions when they are opposed to living peaceful with each other.
Sometimes, upholding the Word of God may hurt at first. But, as we hold it up, our spiritual muscles will be strengthened.
Besides that, it will strengthen the one who sees it in our lives and hears it in our Words. Then,
they will be encouraged to put it into practice in their own lives. Some of our spiritual muscles may be
sore but the end result will be a building up of one another and a greater move toward the unity for which Christ
prayed for His Body. Without peace, there can be not unity so I'm ready to learn some of the steps that I am responsible for
to be living at peace with y'all! Are you ready? That being said, go encourage someone else today!
Receive encouragement from another and recognize it as such, even though it may require a change in your attitude or
pattern of thinking! The God of peace is with you and His work will always be good! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 20, 2010 IS YOUR PEACE MISSING? 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NLT) Right from the top, let me assure you that, if you are a believer in Christ, your peace is not
missing. It never has been, is not now, and never will be. It may feel like it sometimes but that is
when we have to take those steps to renew our minds and get them back in accordance with God's Word. Romans 12:2 (AMP) 2 Do
not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed
(changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves]
what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His
sight for you]. First and foremost, we need to stop listening to the world which tells us that we need
to fear almost everything! Practically every newscast we hear will be talking about the lack of peace. Disunity.
Fighting. Terror. Disease. You name it! All things designed by the enemy, himself, to make us think that,
either we never had any peace, or that our peace is missing. What customs and standards that have come from the world
need to be rooted out of your life so you can experience the peace that Jesus has given you? His Word says (and it
comes from His own mouth), that He has given us peace. John 14:27 (NIV) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give
to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Do we really believe that?
And, have we used this great gift that our Savior has put within us? Does His peace show in the way we conduct our
lives? Again, as with all the points of scripture thatI bring up, I know that I need work in this area. The world
is what we hear the loudest. If we let all those voices drown out the voice of God, our minds will stay corrupted
with the world's external and superficial customs. It's definitely necessary to find a quiet place, within ourselves,
to meditate on and let the Word of God transform our minds. To listen to God's still small voice that gently speaks
to us of His Words of life and peace. Elijah experienced
the feeling of a loss of peace when it seemed that he was the only one who wanted to serve God. There can't be a greater
sense of a loss of peace than if you think everyone is out to kill you! That's what Elijah felt like. 1 Kings 19:9-10 (NLT) 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. The Lord Speaks to Elijah But
the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously
served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed
every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” Elijah
was a great man of God but the world around him was filled with everything that tried to steal his peace! Even nature
seemed to be noisy and, although Elijah might have thought that God's voice would be in the earthquake, the wind, and
the fire, those noisy things in nature, it was not. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT) 11 “Go out and stand before
me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the
mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind
there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the
earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
God's voice came after all these things seemed to indicate a lack of peace. It came in a whisper or as
one translation puts it, "a still small voice." It was gentle and quiet. But, Elijah had to stand
there through all of the other things and wait to hear it. Are there things going on in your life that are a result
of your leaning in the direction of the world's customs? Are there things like earthquakes, wind, and fire that you
have no control over at all? In all of this, as we renew our minds in God's Word, we find that He speaks gently, quietly,
even whispering at times, of His peace. Are our
ears tuned in to hear the voice of our gentle Savior speaking to the depths of our heart through His Word and by His Spirit?
Are we humble enough to know that the answers to the unrest in our lives are too much for us to find
by ourselves? Are we willing to calm and quiet our own selves before His feet when all we can hear are the demands
and pressures of this world? David was and we can be too. Psalm 131:1-3 (NLT) 1 Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. 2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its
mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. 3 O
Israel, put your hope in the Lord— now and always. In these days, it is probably not realistic
to believe that peace will reign all around us. That won't happen until the Prince of Peace comes again to rule the
world. We will always have troubles here, some days will be worse than others. John 16:33 (NIV) 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may
have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." By
faith, and according to His Word, you and I can let the peace He has placed inside of us rule our hearts because the Prince
of Peace has already told us that He has overcome this world! We have the gift of God's peace but it is our responsibility
to incorporate that peace into our lives and pass it along to others. We have a part to play. When we renew
our minds to get in line with God's Word, the peace He has given us will flow, even in the midst of great trouble
and turmoil which may surround us. I have seen that happen in the lives of those who have trusted the Lord for His
peace. His Word says it is so and there are so many examples for us of saints who have proven it to be so by their
lives! Bottom line here. Our peace is not missing, it never has been, and it never will be. However,
we can choose not to use it or even to discard it. What will our choice be today? Why have a gift and never
open it or use it? How would that make the Giver feel? Instead of always praying for peace, let's remember
that God has already given us peace. His Word says so. We may just need to start thanking Him for it, take it
down off the shelf (or open up that dusty book on the coffee table) and use it! 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (TLB) 23 May the God of peace himself make you entirely pure and devoted to God; and may
your spirit and soul and body be kept strong and blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back again.
24 God, who called you to become his child, will do all this for you, just as he promised. All
we need to do is renew our minds in accordance with God's Word, take the first step of faith, and God, our Father,
the God of peace, will allow His peace to be evident to us and all those around us! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 19, 2010 WHAT ARE YOU IN THE HABIT OF DOING? Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) We all have things that we do, almost involuntarily, in our lives. They can be small things or they can be
big things. What are you accustomed to do daily? Or weekly? Or, even moment by moment? Our habits
say a lot about us. We pick up some of them from exposure to others. We also create habits by choice.
It's easier to pick something up from another than it is to create a habit by choice if you are looking to make a change
for the better. However, God gives us all a choice in everything in life. Some habits lead to a better
life or the abundant life. Other habits lead to death and destruction. Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) 19 “Today I have given you
the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you
make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! By our choices we
can become a slave to sin. By our choices we can decide to obey God. We don't have to stop bad habits but,
if we don't, we become a slave to sin. We don't have to create good habits. But, if we don't we will not enjoy
righteous living and experience the freedom that Jesus purchased for us. Romans 6:16 (NLT) 16 Don’t you realize that
you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to
obey God, which leads to righteous living. Being curious, I looked up some of the synonyms for, "habit." It is a way of acting that
is fixed through repetition. It could imply that we do something almost unconsciously and perhaps compulsively.
It's a sort of method we follow with regularity, usually through our own choice. It can even be a custom that
we follow (such as wearing black at funerals). In the case of Hebrews 10:25, the Lord is urging us not to follow the habits of some people who choose to stop meeting together with other believers.
That being said, it can be difficult to create a new habit of making time for corporate worship or Bible study.
I have just returned from a Bible study for which I signed up many weeks ago. I bought the book and have
been reading it faithfully to keep up with the others in the group. However, even though the study has been going on
for five or six weeks now, this is the very first time I attended. We were traveling the first few weeks, but the
leader of the study kindly allowed me to join anyway even though I would miss those weeks. Then, illness and doctor's appointments
kept me from going. Today, another appointment caused me to miss part of the study but I had to make a conscious effort
to get dressed and go anyway, even though I would have to leave early. Although I had been reading the book and
studying by myself getting a whole lot out of it, today I gathered together with other women who had been studying too.
I got to hear and engage in conversation that was funny, sad, uplifting, and encouraging. Each of our lives had been
touched in some way by the Word of God we were studying and the words seemed to come more alive as each contributed to the
conversation about the ways God has worked in their lives. There is something
to be said about developing the habit of meeting together with other believers. There is an old song that says,
"It only takes a spark to get a fire going." As we gather together, each of us, "sparks,"
help keep the fire going! A lone spark will soon die out. God is telling us in Hebrews 10:25 that we need to get together with others who believe so that we can encourage one another. Every
one of us is on the same journey. Some of us are farther down the road than others but we're all headed in the same
direction. We are all running the course of life. Look how the Apostle, Paul, nudges the Philippian
Church. Philippians 3:17 (NIV) 17 Join with others in following
my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. He's urging them
to follow his example and create patterns or "habits," in their lives that will help them stay the course.
The writer of The Message, paraphrases it this way. Philippians 3:17 (MSG) 17 Stick with me, friends. Keep
track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. How in the world can we keep
track of others running this course with us if we don't meet with them once in a while? If we don't stop along the
road to see if another needs help on the journey? If we don't share the Words of encouragement God has spoken to us
along the way? So, God is letting us know that we need to take some time to develop the habit of meeting with one
another in order to build one another up and keep the fire going! To make sure that no one get's left behind in the
race. Again, I am going to refer to how the writer of, "The Message," has paraphrased, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 11 So speak encouraging words to one another. Build
up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep
on doing it. Notice that Paul says, "you're already doing this." However, he follows
that by saying, "keep on doing it." This is one habit that we must work to maintain. The pressures
and demands of this world will always try to lure us away from getting together with other believers. The enemy
would just love it if we would isolate ourselves. A roaring lion always looks for easy prey. What is the easiest
prey for him? A lone and tired or wounded animal who has strayed away from the others. 1 Peter 5:8 (TLB) 8 Be careful—watch out for
attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.
Although the Apostle, Peter, is not talking specifically here about habitually meeting together with other
believers, if these gatherings are not part of our habitual behavior, we will soon be in danger of slipping away and we
may find ourselves at the mercy of our great enemy, the devil. So, what are your habits as far as meeting together
with other believers? It's a habit worth cultivating. As is always true with the Lord, you will get far more
out of it than what you contribute! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 18, 2010 DOWN? BE LIFTED! Isaiah 41:10 (TLB) Is something getting you down this morning?
It might even be lots of things! The enemy is roaring around in these last days trying his hardest to get us to think
we are down and not up! I like that old song that says, "He didn't lift us up to let us down."
Nope! In actuality, whether we see it with our eyes or feel it in our emotions, we are lifted up!
God, Himself, told Israel that they were His chosen ones! Well, this morning, you and I need to take a look at
the fact that we, as the church, are His chosen ones also! Isaiah 41:8 (TLB) 8 "But
as for you, O Israel, you are mine, my chosen ones; for you are Abraham’s family, and he was my friend. You
might think we are not, but we are! God said that the Israelites were Abraham's family. How wonderful that
God has also said that you and I are also Abraham's family by our faith! Galatians 3:29 (NLT) 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children
of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Did you just hear that,
my friends, and did that sink into the depths of your spirit? We are children of Abraham and we are his heirs.
God's promise to Abraham belongs to us too! If you were down, are you beginning to feel yourself lifted up by
the Word and promises of God? What did God promise Abraham? Genesis 12:2-3 2
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name
famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others]. 3 And I will bless those
who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you;
in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]. Whoa!
Now that's a promise! And, there's more where that came from! If you are down this morning, know that God wants
you up! The enemy surely doesn't want you to remember that promise and, even as I sit here writing, a spirit of distraction
and sleepiness is coming over me. However, when God sends His Word, it will not come back void! Isaiah 55:11 (TLB) 11 so also is my Word. I send it
out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it. Yes,
at this very moment, I feel down. I feel as though I can't keep writing or do those things I have planned for today.
Yet, I know that I am lifted up by God's victorious right hand. And so are you! We, not only receive the promises God gave to Abraham but God confirms to us also that, like Abraham, we
are His friends if we are in Christ! How uplifting is it to know that we are friends of God?!? John 15:15 (AMP) 15 I do not call you servants (slaves)
any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because
I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned
from Him.] Yes, it's true! God considers us as His friends! Now the world may search around
to make friends in high places and it will bring them some temporary influence and power. But, my sisters and brothers
in Christ, we have a Friend in the highest of highest places! He is the One who declares us friends. We
didn't have to seek Him out. He sought us out and chose us, personally, to be His friends! John 15:16 (NLT) 16 You didn’t choose me.
I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using
my name. Just as God chose Abraham to, not only be blessed, but to be a blessing, so He has also chosen
us to be a blessing to one another. How better to be a blessing to another than by loving them! John 15:17 (NLT) 17 This is my command: Love each
other. It's not that we just say we love each other and celebrate by giving gifts to one another
as we did this past Valentine's Day. It's an action and decision that takes place every day and looks out for the
best interests of the other. That's God's kind of love! But,
there is almost always a condition that we have to meet to have the blessings of Abraham and of Israel. Abram
(as he was called before God changed his name to Abraham) had to be willing to do something. He had to leave
his family and the land with which he was familiar and strike out with God on an unknown, but exciting, journey. We,
too, must leave this world's standards and ways of living and strike out with God to live in His Kingdom where love, joy,
provision, hope, promise, health, and so many more blessings never end! We've got to be willing to leave something
in order to allow God to uplift us with His victorious right hand! And did I say that in this Kingdom of His, we always
have the victory? 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT) 57 But thank God! He gives us victory
over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not even death can have the victory over us.
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NLT) 54 Then, when our dying bodies
have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in
victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” In
fact, it only leads us to a better life. 2 Corinthians 5:8 (TLB) 8 And we are not afraid but are
quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. God has us in His victorious
right hand. Nothing that comes upon us here in this world can have the victory because we have, like Abraham, have
struck out on a journey with God into His Kingdom! So, what is that thing or things that
are trying to get you down? Cling to God's instructions and promises to you this morning. He told
us not to fear. Whatever that thing is that is trying to get you down, face it with faith instead of fear. God
said, "for I am with you." If God is with you, what is there to fear? Don't be dismayed which may lead
to your distraction away from God's promises. God is your God! Acknowledge that this morning and walk
with Him in the Spirit. His promise to you, if you will do this, is that He will strengthen you! I'm in need
of that this morning. Can anyone relate? He will help you. I admit that I am in need of lots of help!
Who better to help me than the One who created me and knows me from the inside out?!? He promised that He would uphold
you and me with His victorious right hand. Don't let the enemy fool you into thinking you are down. Deuteronomy 28:13-14 (NLT) 13 If you listen to these commands
of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not
the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. 14 You must
not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them. Don't
dwell on, think about, and in essence, worship those feelings of being down. Don't turn those feelings into other
gods. Follow God's instructions and receive His promises today! You don't have to. He won't force
you to. But He really, really wants you to know that you can have the victory in every single thing if you do
what He says and allow Him to uphold you in His victorious right hand. Are you struggling beneath your circumstances
this morning, feeling failure and defeat. Or, are you following God's commands to the best of your ability and finding
yourself way above your circumstances in a comfortable and secure seat of victory? Right in the center of God's powerful
and victorious right hand! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 17, 2010 CALLED TO PEACE Colossians 3:15 (NIV) What happens when you catch a cold or the flu? What happens when you are emotionally disturbed by
rejection or abuse? What happens when you doubt God's Word or feel that He has not heard your prayers? The disease
hits your body, the emotional upset hits your soul, and the doubt hits your spirit. Do any of these operate apart
from the other? We all know they don't. Whatever affects one area will affect the other. If you have a
disturbance in any of these areas, your body will react. It will not be peaceful! Body, soul and spirit
operate as one. You and I are all members of one body. It doesn't matter what the sign says that hangs
over the door of the place where we go for corporate worship. If we are believers in Christ, we are all one body!
Whose body is it? It's the Body of the Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT) 6 For a child is born to us, a
son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will
rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord
of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! That is why Paul tells us in Colossians 3:15 that we need to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts! In other words, let the peace
of Christ be the umpire in our hearts. This is so important for us to remember these days when we are being hit
from all sides with health issues, financial issues and relationship issues. If we just look at all of those things,
we will have no peace. However, in the midst of these things, God offers His peace, deep within our hearts,
to help us make decisions when challenges come against us. That umpire of God's peace will enable us to make
wise decisions and settle with finality any questions that arise in our hearts and minds. The storms may be raging
around us but, right in the center of the storm in our hearts, we can have peace. It is a peace that will make people
take a second look at us because it defies human understanding. Philippians 4:7 (ASV) 7 And the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. I have had times in my
life when I had to pinch myself in the middle of the storm because I felt so much peace. You and I are called
of God to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. The interesting thing is that the peace that comes from
God is connected to thanksgiving. Paul tells us that in Colossians 3:15 and in Philippians 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. We're not supposed to be
anxious or worried even when the worst storm we've ever seen comes upon us. It is during those times that we need
to recall the fact that, if we love God and are the called according to His purpose, this storm will be turned by God for
good in our lives. Romans 8:28 (TLB) 28 And we know that all that happens
to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans. When we have God's peace reigning in our own hearts, we will then be more gracious to those around us.
We are all in different places in our journey of this faith-life. However, we can all be thankful. Even
if we had nothing else, the fact that Jesus gave His life for us to purchase our salvation would be enough! Another
thing is that we have the offer of His peace even in situations where those without Him might break or be destroyed.
If everything that happens to us is working for our good, what's not to be peaceful about? Did I say that everything
would feel good? For sure, not! Because, as God's precious children, we are each in a different place along His
pathway of life, we need to look past the faults and weaknesses we see in others and remember that we are all one body in
Christ. If another claims the name of Christ, we need to look past denominational, gender, racial, financial,
and other lines that divide us and encourage one another. Our job is to let the peace of God dwell in our hearts so
much so that we are interested only in doing the following: Colossians 3:16 (TLB) 16 Remember what Christ taught,
and let his words enrich your lives and make you wise; teach them to each other and sing them out in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with thankful hearts. Are the words of the Prince of Peace dwelling
in you so richly that your heart is overflowing with thanksgiving? Are you meditating on those words, even though
the world is speaking words to the contrary, constantly? Are you becoming more and more wise as those words enrich
your lives? Is it your desire to look past dividing lines in the Body of Christ and teach others, receiving also the
teaching that He has given them? Do you have a song in your heart of thanksgiving and praise? Is your life one
long song of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs? This is a life that demonstrates God's gift of peace and let's
it flow out to others in every situation. Even the situations that don't feel so good. May the peace of God
guard your hearts and minds today and always as we remember together that we are each a valuable and integral part of
the Body of the Prince of Peace and, as such, we are all connected to one another. May His peace rule in all of us
as members of His body. We are called to peace. Romans 15:33 (TLB) 33 And now may our God, who gives
peace, be with you all. Amen. MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 16, 2010 IT'S TIME TO CLEAN YOUR CLOSETS! Colossians 3:6 (NLT) If you have been reading along in the Morning Manna the last few days, you should now feel secure and know
that your life is hidden in God with Christ. You also know that you should clothe yourself with God's chosen garments.
Although it isn't quite Spring yet, it is time to clean the closets of our lives, getting rid of some garments that really
are ugly and do not fit us any more! This will not be your normal cleaning project. It's going to require some
violence. We're not just going to clean our closets. We're going to get some varmints out of there and kill them!
Warfare is never a fun thing. It requires self-discipline and resolve. But, don't worry, God has given us
the assurance that the battle is not ours alone. It really is His. We just have to agree to be His soldiers.
1 Samuel 17:47 (NLT) 47 And everyone assembled here
will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give
you to us!” Young David was about to go up against a Philistine giant when he realized that
his war was not going to be won with a sword and a spear (that is, unless you consider that the Word of God is a sharp, two-edged
sword Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper
than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts
and desires.) David had to admit that he could not conquer Goliath on his own. The battle he was
about to face was not his own but the Lord's. David also had the faith to believe that the Lord would give
the victory. Before it was all over, that giant would be dead and God's children would win. God
is just the same today as He was then. Hebrews 13:8 (NLT) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. Today, we're going to begin to get rid of some things in the closets of
our lives which may have stayed in there so long, nourished by our thoughts, that they have grown to be giants! I
can think of a couple of large ones in the closet of my life that I'm, for sure, going to need God's help to defeat! Why not just close the closet doors and let those things remain in
the dark corners? Because, if we keep them in our lives, God's anger will surely be unleashed. We don't
want that! Even though we serve a merciful God, we also serve a Holy God and we can't live unholy lives without
expecting His anger to come, sooner or later. His Word says that, because of certain things, God's anger is
coming. Pretty scary. So, let's get busy and kill those things that don't belong in our lives, not even in the
darkest corners of the closet! What are those things in our lives that we have to go after and destroy with a vengeance?
Colossians 3:5 (NLT) 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly
things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy,
for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Colossians 3:5 is the beginning of our list of things that must be given a deadly blow. We all know
what sexual immorality is. To make it short, it's any sexual relationship that is outside the bounds of marriage between
one man and one woman (including pornography). Pretty simple, but sometimes this will lurk in a dark corner
of our lives. Matthew 5:28 (TLB) 28 But I say: Anyone who even looks
at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. I notice that this does
not speak just about our outward actions but about what goes on in our heart. Gotta kill any thoughts of that
sort. Don't store them up! Impurity of any kind must go. Romans 6:19 (NLT) 19 Because of the weakness of your
human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves
to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living
so that you will become holy. Next, we need to conquer lust. That is, our desire for anything
that is intrinsically worthless in living godly lives. And then, digging further, we may find some evil desires.
That is essentially a longing for anything that God has forbidden. Next, we may find some covetousness which is another
word for greed. This is the desire to constantly have more. How many of us have so much that our possessions
possess us? This is one that I really need to totally destroy! God says that this one is the same as serving
idols. Now, I doubt if you have statues of Buddha or other such things sitting around you house. But, what do
you have that you serve more than you serve God? A car? A closet full of clothes? A home? A hobby?
What is it in this world that makes you desire to have more and more? I'm already at work on my list! Now is the time! We've been looking at things that we need to
destroy. Once we kill them, we've got to be sure they don't resurrect themselves in our lives. Now is
the time to rid the closets of our lives of all those things we are putting to death. Now is the time to do the following:
Colossians 3:8-9 (NLT) 8 But now is the time to get rid
of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie
to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. God doesn't
make it hard for us to understand. Now is the time to get rid of anger and rage! Now is the
time to get rid of any bad behavior; behavior that does not glorify God. Now is the time to get rid of slander
(and that means gossip). Now is the time to clean up our speech and stop using offensive or crude language
just to get a laugh. It's not funny to God! This may include getting rid of things in our homes that come
in through the TV, movies, books, magazines, and music. Now is the time to stop speaking anything
that is untrue. We know that these things are totally opposed to God's way of thinking and His will for us.
We already learned that God's garments are beautiful, uplifting and flattering! Colossians 3:12 (NIV) 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We
don't need to store up the worldly garments that we used to wear. We need to strip ourselves of them and get rid of
them! We can't wear both types of garments. That would, not only look hideous, it would render us double-minded
and unstable. It would show a true lack of wisdom, along with a lack of faith. If we are not willing to
strip off the old and put on the new godly garments, we will hinder ourselves from receiving anything from the Lord.
James 1:5-8 (NIV) 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he
should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and
tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. Now is the time to clean our closets,
kill anything that has grown in there that eats away at our lives, and make sure we have a good stock of all the wonderful
things that God has given us to wear close at hand! I'm going to be a while at this so I'm sure glad God is patient
and that He honors baby-steps! Now is the time to take those first steps. Clean up the closet of your
life, throw away the ugly stuff. And, don't stop to look back! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 15, 2010 WHAT'S IN YOUR CLOSET? Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Let me tell you, my closet is full to over-flowing. I am truly thankful! But, there are times when I
look in there and say, "I don't have anything to wear." Nothing in there appeals to me. Nothing seems
appropriate for the occasion. Nothing seems to be flattering. Well, God has a closet of a different kind
and He wants to share His stuff with you and me. The great thing about the stuff in His closet is that it is always
appropriate for any occasion. It also is so flattering that we will always be looking our best! Also, His things
are always there for us to wear. They never wear out and they always look fresh and clean! The more we wear them,
the more comfortable they become! If you have read the Morning Manna for the past two days, you will have noticed that
we are dead to this world and securely hidden in God. You will also have noticed that, among the many virtues (or godly
garments) that we are instructed to wear, we are to bind them all together with love! By the way, it is perfectly appropriate
to layer these items. In fact the more you wear, the more attractive you will be! First
of all, I almost forgot to notice that Colossians 3:12 says we are chosen of God. Now how does that make you feel? For a girl who was always chosen last for activities
in recess at school, it makes me feel pretty special! We are God's own hand-picked representatives! He has already
purified us and made us holy, through the blood of Jesus. He calls us His beloved! Maybe we could just stop here
for the day and be encouraged! If those things are not enough to get a fire going down in your heart, I don't know what
will! But, as is usual with our God, there is more! While we fill
our bedroom closets with the things that will make us look the best, it seems like God is looking at something that comes
from the inside out. He wants our behavior to show that we are His representatives. He wants to see us clothed
with compassion. In the King James Version, He's pretty emphatic about that. It is translated, "bowels of
mercies." The two main Greek words used here are both words for compassion and mercy. Okay, once we get that
on, how about layering with some kindness? That doesn't just mean putting on a show of being kind. It means that,
from deep within our hearts, God's love is flowing so much that we just want to be kind! Here comes another
layer. It's having a lowly opinion of ourselves. Not a low opinion of ourselves, but an opinion based on God's Word,
rather than this world's, "it's all about me," attitude. It's being humble. Are you warm yet?
Looking good! Try on another layer. Make it meekness. Also called gentleness. There's still more.
How about trying on patience? It's great when we realize that the things in God's closet will fit each and every one
of us! Well, for me, this one passage in Colossians has given me lots to think about and lots to work on! Thank
God that, as Jesus strengthens us, we can put on all of these things and wear them well! Philippians 4:13 (NLT) 13 For I can do everything through
Christ, who gives me strength. Once we get all these things on, we must bind them together with
love. It's the perfect outfit! When you wear this outfit, you will always be appealing! By the way,
it is for both men and women. So, what's in your closet? I hope you will find, among all the other things
in there, lots of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience! And, of course, lots of love to perfectly
complete the ensemble. MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 14, 2010 BOUND BY LOVE Colossians 3:14 (NIV) If you read the Morning Manna from yesterday, you might remember that I referenced verses from Colossians,
Chapter 3. If you have the time, read for yourself, Colossians 3:1-17. I am going through a Bible Study and the following was one of the exercises. We were to read it all
the way through Colossians 3:1-17, out loud, three times (using different translations if they were available) and then write down something different we
saw each time we read it. If you choose to do this exercise, I promise you that you will come away with much
to think about and lots of things to work on. Also, with great encouragement! In fact, you will come away with
many more than just three things! You and I,
if we are believers, have died to this world and our lives are hidden, with Christ, in God. That fact, in
itself, is enough to think on! In it is amazement and security, at least for me! Colossians 3:3 (NIV) 3 For you died, and your life is
now hidden with Christ in God. Many people are asking the question, "Who Am I?"
If we are in the Word of God, we know who we are in Christ; but it's good to remind ourselves and remind each other.
One of those things that we are is, "hidden." Beyond the touch of the world and the devil! While Colossians 3:1-17 lists several things that we need to put to death, it also lists several things with which we are
to clothe ourselves and gives us guidelines for living this new life that Christ has given us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (TLB) 17 When someone becomes a Christian,
he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! It's not
any coincidence, in my mind, that this passage which I have been meditating upon in Colossians, speaks of love.
Right on time. For Valentine's Day! I like how the Living Bible paraphrases Colossians 3:14. Most of all, let love guide your life, for then the whole church will stay together
in perfect harmony. Most of all, let love guide your life! That could be rephrased this
way, "Most of all, let God guide your life." God is love! 1 John 4:8 (NIV) 8 Whoever does not love does not
know God, because God is love. This, "love," that is supposed to guide our lives is not that sentimental,
romantic love that we usually celebrate on Valentine's Day. It is a love that far supersedes our wildest imagination!
It is a tough love that will not quit, even in the worst of situations. God's love binds us together and creates
unity! There are so many divisions these days. You find them in the workplace, in families and, sadly, in churches.
That's not what God wants. Jesus prayed that we, as believers, would be in unity just as He is in unity with the Father.
John 17:11 (NLT) 11 Now I am departing from the
world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them
by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. Love is what binds us together
in unity, just like the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in unity. There are many other virtues with which we need to clothe ourselves, as Christians; but the one that holds
all the others together and creates unity among us is love. Not a gushy, saccharine kind of love but a love that
is resolved to keep on, even when the going gets tough. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (AMP) 7 Love bears up under anything
and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances,
and it endures everything [without weakening]. Even when it means we have
to overlook and forgive faults in one another. Real love never fails! 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV) 8 Love never fails. But where
there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will
pass away. Of all things that God has given us, love is the greatest! 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) 13 Three things will last forever—faith,
hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. Love is God's, "super-glue" that holds
everything together in it's place. It's the binding force that helps us look past each other's weaknesses and faults
to the One who is Love, personified. Are things falling apart in your church? In your friendships?
In your marriages? In your family? Wherever we find division, may it be that we take another look at God, who
is Love, and then determine to reflect what we see in Him. Bind us together Lord, bind us together,
Lord; bind us together in love! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 13, 2010
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR REAL LIFE IS? Colossians 3:3 (NLT) You know,
I had never really thought deeply about the above question. When I think about "real," life, I tend to think
of the everyday practical things I have to get done each day. I tend to do life as sort of a, "reality show." The
show of my life might be entitled, "Survivor." Yes, this life is many times hard and many days we find ourselves
overwhelmed by the pressures that surround us. Questions that we cannot answer. Solutions we cannot find.
We feel like we have to struggle just to survive. Just this morning, I saw God say to me, through His Word, "Never
mind trying to survive, you're already dead!" If you are a born-again Christian, you, too, are
already dead! As difficult as this earthly life is, we're dead to it. We're only going through the motions of
working out our salvation. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV) 12 Therefore, my dear friends,
as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation
with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according
to his good purpose. Now, I never thought I would rejoice over the fact that someone told me I was dead!
In fact, I once had a dream where I was looking into a mirror at myself straight-on. A voice said, "Beatrice
is dead." Let me tell you, that dream has haunted me for years now. It was spooky! However, this morning,
I realize that it was not a nightmare. It was a good dream! I am dead! And rejoicing about it! Why am I rejoicing? Because my real life is hidden with Christ
in God! Nobody can get to it. I can't even ruin it myself. It is hidden! And so is yours if you
have trusted Jesus to take it to the Father and hide it there! With all the awful things going on in this world, how
awesome is it that our real lives cannot be touched?!? Our lives are secretly hidden with our Father because Jesus
has set us free from this worldly life! Our old lives are dead and our real life is now secure! Our real life
may not be visible to those around us. I used to, and sometimes still do, feel like I'm invisible. Like
people don't know I'm around or hear what I'm saying. In fact, once I actually did ask God if I was really dead
and just walking around invisibly in this world. I didn't get an answer then but today I think He is saying, "Yes."
Because we are dead to this world, some people will not see or hear us. God has kept our lives a secret, hidden away
in His protective place. We are covered until He chooses to show us to whomever He will. It is then that He gives
us the power to become salt and light where we are. Just a glimpse of our hidden lives can make a vast difference
in this dead world in which we live! Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV) 13 "You are the salt of the
earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to
be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city
on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in
heaven. Because our, "real," lives are hidden with God, it is He who will give us the
desire and the power to be salt when salt is needed and to be light when light is needed. It will be just at the right
times and just in the right places. Because it is Him working in us and because our real lives are hidden with Him,
we will be victorious and He will get the glory! Philippians 2:13 (NLT) 13 For God is working in you, giving
you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Because it is God working in us and because our real lives
are hidden in Him, we're covered and His work proceeds! Now
we are secure! But, as always in God's Kingdom, we have a part to play. Since we have been raised with Christ
and hidden in God, we have to set our sights a bit higher. Wouldn't you say that most of us get caught up in
the here and now? The where and how of it all? I know that I do when deadlines and chores mount up as if
they were going to come after me and devour me! That's when we need to remember not to depend upon our own understanding!
Proverbs 3:5 (AMP) 5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident
in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. God's Word
has just told me that I have been raised (and you too, if you have believed Jesus). Colossians 3:1 (AMP) 1 IF THEN you have been raised
with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that
are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Why are we allowing ourselves to stay in and
dwell on the mud-puddles of this earth? We've got to set our sights higher than that! There are rich and eternal
treasures that belong to us if we'll just look up, see them, and receive them. God has raised us up, friends, but
I have to admit, I'm not always living like I've been raised up! Are you? Ephesians 2:6-10 (NIV) 6 And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in
the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared
in advance for us to do. Today, I am very glad that I am dead. I'm glad that my real life is hidden,
along with Christ, with my Father. I'm glad to be invisible when He wants me to be invisible and very visible
when He wants to use me for that purpose. I'm glad that, ultimately, nothing bad can reach me in that hidden
place! Glad that God has raised me up and given me a seat above my circumstances instead of leaving me to be crushed
under them! I want to aim at and seek for everything He has for me because, without those things, I cannot be effective
in what He has called me to do! My fellow Christ-followers, God has already set us in high places and hidden us with
Himself. What is next is for us to set our hearts there also. He will not steal our hearts from us, we
have to set them in His loving hands in that hidden place. Are you willing to do that right now? Where is
your real life? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 12, 2010 WHITE AS SNOW! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 11, 2010 WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR MIND? Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) 1 And so, dear brothers
and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy
sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. The Lord is asking you and me to present our bodies to Him because of all He has done for us. He wants our
bodies to be a living and holy sacrifice. He's looking to find them acceptable. In fact, He considers this to
be our worship! Does that mean we have to go to the gym and work out every day? Does it mean that we need to be
on a diet all the time? Or, does it mean that, if our bodies are not perfect, we need to have plastic surgery?
Not at all. All of the above can be somewhat profitable for living our lives here. But God is not really
talking about these things. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV) 7 Have
nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For
physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and
the life to come. God is asking us to be a living sacrifice. If we are living we
need to have a body, a soul, and a spirit! That's what God wants! And notice, it requires some training.
His Word says, "train yourselves." The hard part about giving our bodies as a living sacrifice is that our bodies don't
move by themselves. Our minds tell our bodies what to do. Our bodies will not sacrifice themselves by themselves.
That's why it's so important to be aware of what is going on in our minds. With the many avenues of information we have
coming at us all the time these days, we cannot let our minds become a sponge that soaks in everything. For example,
what are you thinking about while you are reading this? Most of our thoughts tend to wander and it is up to us to reign
them in. When our thoughts wander, that is when the Devil can begin to build strongholds in our minds. God
has given us tools to use to keep our minds on what He would like us to think about. Here is the list: Philippians 4:8 (NLT) 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters,
one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about
things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Although this verse is short, it is really a very fine,
"thought-filter." If what we are thinking about will not fit into any of these categories, some training is
probably needed on our part! So, I would submit to you that every time we have a thought, it must be filtered through
these boundaries that God has given us for thinking. Did I say that was easy? For sure, it is not because
we have so many things vying for our thoughts and attention. And, these days, most of them would not
pass the above filter-test. Training our minds and thoughts is a discipline, an exercise. It's not the
kind of exercise that will make us look good (at first) on the outside but it will change us from the inside out. What
is in our minds will then begin making our bodies a true living sacrifice to the Lord who has given us all things, including
the ability for self-discipline. God is not going to take your wandering thoughts captive. He is not even going
to stop you from deliberately dwelling on wrong thoughts. But, He has given you the power of love and self-discipline
that will help you take any thought that doesn't fit into the Philippians 4:8 category into submission and cast it down! 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT) 5 We destroy every proud obstacle
that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Although the Apostle Paul is speaking of his own ministry of casting down rebellious thoughts of the day in the
church, it is possible, and very probable, that we collect some rebellious and ungodly thoughts along our journey
through this life. We need to evaluate those thoughts and cast them down because they are keeping us from knowing God
fully. They are opposed to us learning to obey Christ. They are the devil's way of keeping us from presenting
our bodies as a pure and holy, living sacrifice to God. We need to do this before the thoughts become a stronghold and
begin to tell our bodies what to do. Our mind will tell our body what to do. The Bible speaks of, "imaginations."
The root of that word is, "image." There are some images in our minds that do not belong there if we are to
be a perfect living sacrifice to the Lord. We will either be a living sacrifice to the Lord or those wrong images
in our minds will cause us to run after the devil, who will eventually destroy us and sacrifice us for his own purposes.
So, what is going on in your mind? Are there some strongholds there that you need to, with the help of God, cast down?
Is there anything in there that doesn't fit in with God's pattern of thinking for our minds? God is waiting for us to
take the initiative and be willing to cast any thoughts that are not of His Kingdom down. In order to do that we have
to read His Word, meditate on it, and communicate with Him in prayer. When we do, we will find that He has given us
the power to renew our minds (and that means constantly). Romans 12:2 (NLT) 2 Don’t
copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then
you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. What is going
on in your mind? Is renewal in order? God has given you His Word to change your mind! Are you
willing to receive that Word and let His Word make your body a pure and holy sacrifice that is acceptable to your Father? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 10, 2010 ARE YOU A WHINER OR A WINNER? Psalms 64:1 (MSG) First of all, let me say that we will all be tempted at some time or
other to become a whiner. A complainer. A person obsessed with feelings of doomsday. That
is a given. Secondly, I am using the broad paraphrase from, "The Message," to deliver what I think is an important
message for us today. Here is Psalm 64:1 from the King James Version: 1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer:
preserve my life from fear of the enemy. I would be surprised if any one of you would tell me that you
have never experienced that feeling of fear when you are confronted by the enemy. Startled. Made to tremble.
Feeling terror. This word, "fear," is a word that means, "sudden alarm." It implies a feeling
of fear of the dreaded object. Don't you think it is a natural, rather than a super-natural response, to have feelings
of fear when we are suddenly alarmed by something? But, the great thing is that we have not been given a spirit
of fear by our Savior. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but
of power, love, and self-discipline. God has substituted a natural spirit of fear with His super-natural
gifts of power, love, and self-discipline (or as another translation puts it, a sound mind). Look how 2 Timothy
1:7 is written in the Amplified Version. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear),
but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
We are given these gifts of power, love and a sound and well-balanced mind by God but have we opened the
gifts and put them to use? There's
no doubt about it, the enemy is looking for every door left open in our lives where he might get a foothold. From
a foothold, he always goes for the stronghold! We need that sound mind in order to remember to keep our minds filled
with the Word of God and then let our minds order our actions! It could be that you have left an open door for
the enemy to get a foothold. If so, find yourself a scripture that you can meditate on and then declare, using the Word
of God, that the enemy has to get his foot out of your door or window. Then, lock everything tightly by speaking
the Word to yourself. Speak praise to God too. The devil really doesn't like that and, sooner or later, he's won't
be able to take it and he'll have to leave - at least for a while! I admit that I am tempted to whine and fear when the enemy
comes to attack me. Instead of immediately tapping into what I know to be true about God, I succumb to what I feel like
and what I see. Maybe David was having a little spiritual brain-drain when he wrote Psalm 64:1. It's possible because he was in the minority. Perhaps there was no one in close proximity
whom he could count on to speak to him in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Colossians 3:16 (NKJV) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell
in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace
in your hearts to the Lord. This is a good place to say that it is important to have those around
us who will remind us of what we already know. We are victorious in the Lord, no matter what! It may not
always feel like it; but we are! But, even if no one is around to remind us, we have the Holy Spirit in us to help
us in each frightening situation that we encounter. John 14:26 (AMP) 26 But the Comforter (Counselor,
Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place,
to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of,
bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. Just as we had to open those gifts of power,
love, and a sound mind, we have to do something to receive the teaching, comfort, and reminders that the Holy
Spirit wants to give us. In those times of, "sudden alarm," we have a quick choice to make - look at the situation
and listen to the lying voice of the enemy, or listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit! I have to admit that lots of things test me in this area. My son lives by himself in a city ravaged by the
latest dump of snow on the mid-Atlantic. I found out yesterday that the boiler in his building went out on Friday and
it is now Tuesday. During that time he had no heat and the streets were blocked with snow. I struggled with sudden
alarm. The enemy placed visions in my mind of what might be happening to him. I could not contact him by phone
because he had left his phone in the car. There was nothing I could do, despite his being in sub-freezing temperatures,
but trust that God had heard my prayers for his safety. However......... Don't think I did not struggle to lay
hold of those gifts of power, love and a sound mind during these last five days! We are in a war here. The enemy
would love to take us down by suddenly alarming us so many times that we whine instead of remember that we are a winner.
He would like to get us whining so loud that we can neither hear or remember God's Word to us. Romans 8:31 (NLT) 31 What
shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? The truth
is that we live in an age of "terror." Sudden alarm. It comes from every avenue in life. It can
tempt us to just sit down and whine or complain. Or, it can spur us on to the greater knowledge that our God is still
in control. He will always be in control. Nothing can touch us without His permission. If He permits it
to touch us and it doesn't feel so good, He will turn it to good! It's when we let that feeling that is implicated with
fear of a certain thing take over that we get into trouble. Instead of that feeling of doomsday and negativity, pull
out the gifts of power, love, and a sound mind. Remind yourself that the power is that same power that raised Jesus
from the dead. This is not a feeling. This is a reality! The love is the same love that caused Jesus to
give His own life to save us. The sound mind is the mind that is controlled by the Spirit of God through our spirit,
overcoming and bringing into submission our own mind, will and emotions! I heard today that the difference between a whiner
and a winner is this. The whiner wants to feel good before he or she does what is right. The winner goes
ahead and does what is right and then they feel good. Which one are you? Which one am I? Are your feelings
dictating your actions and causing you to whine? Or is God's declaration that you, as His child, are victorious spurring
you on to do what is right no matter how you feel or how your situation may look? 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (NKJV) 57 But thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 9, 2010 IS THERE A PURPOSE IN ALL OF THIS? Exodus 14:14 (NLT) 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. Just
stay calm.” Once upon a time, the children of the Lord had their
backs up against a wall. It was a wall that looked as though it would either be a watery grave for them or else
their enemies would strike them all dead on the shore! Exodus 14:8-9 (NLT) 8 The Lord hardened the heart of
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. 9 The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses
and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside
the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon. Moses had just led the children of Israel into the wilderness
where they were fleeing from the Egyptians. They had followed God's orders, through Moses. They were doing exactly
what God had told them to do. However, they were tested there in the wilderness. Would they actually believe God
and His promises or not? Is your back up against some kind of wall? I have talked to so many these past few days
whose backs are up against it. There are all kinds of walls that we might find our backs against. Health, finances,
unruly children, unfaithful spouses, even church-related issues! When God allows us to be in a situation where our back
is against a wall, the enemy takes full advantage to charge ahead threatening our very lives (physical, emotional, and spiritual).
That's the picture we get of the Israelites with the Red Sea on one side and the deceitful and cruel Egyptians on the other
side. One thing I notice in this story is that God is the one who
hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he tried to corner and kill all of the Israelites. What is the purpose of that?
God had already told Moses that He was going to set His people free. So, what is happening here? Actually, God
had already told Moses that this very situation would happen and how it would turn out for good! Exodus 14:1-4 (NLT) 1 Then the Lord gave these instructions
to Moses: 2 “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between
Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. 3 Then
Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ 4
And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order
to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the
Israelites camped there as they were told. Even though Moses had God's promise of a good outcome, they all stood
in fear when the enemy onslaught was evident. You and I have been set free from everything that might ultimately do
us in. Jesus has set us free! John 8:36 (NLT) 36 So if the Son sets you free,
you are truly free. Just as the Israelites had been set free from slavery to Egypt, we have been set free
from slavery to sin. John 8:34-35 (NLT) 34 Jesus replied, “I tell
you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent
member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. We were once slaves to sin and all of its
effects in our lives; but now we are free by the blood of Jesus! Once God makes a promise, he never changes His mind!
2 Samuel 22:31 (NLT) 31
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look
to him for protection. So, what is the purpose of God letting the Israelites appear to be cornered
with no way out? I think one purpose may have been to test their faith. All of the Lord's promises prove
true but He wants us to believe that, even before we see it! Hebrews 10:38 (NLT) 38 And my righteous ones will live
by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” God
has even a greater purpose than testing our faith, although this is must be done to prove our faith. 1 Peter 1:7 (TLB) These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or
not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and your faith is far more precious
to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you
much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return. I see the bigger purpose in two places in the
situation of the Israelites and in all of our "up against a wall," situations too. First, God wanted
the enemy to know that He, alone, is God. " ..... I have planned this to gain great honor and
glory over Pharaoh and all his armies, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord."..... Our
enemy was defeated on the cross two thousand years ago! Colossians 2:15 (GW) 15 He stripped the rulers and authorities
{of their power} and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ. Just like
Pharaoh, our enemy does not take defeat easily. Although Satan is defeated, he still roams around like
a lion trying to convince us that he can devour us. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your
great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Satan is
smart in many ways but he doesn't always get it that, if he backs us up against a wall and we're God's children, he is doing
us a favor and inviting God to step in and deliver us! Our faith will be tested and proved. Hopefully we will
do a bit better than the Israelites when they started complaining against Moses and against God in their fear and doubt.
Finally, Moses ordered the Israelites to stand still and calmly watch the Lord deliver them. 1 Peter 5:9 (NLT) 9 Stand firm against him, and be
strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind
of suffering you are. If your back is against a wall and the devil is coming
against you from the other side, stand still and calmly wait for God to step in. He's never late. However, while
you're standing there, continue in obedience. We, too, are told to stand firm when the enemy is on the rampage.
Our God will deliver us just as He delivered the Israelites! One of their problems was the Red Sea, but God turned that
into an opportunity of escape when He parted it for them to pass through safely. Then God used that same Red Sea (which
was formerly their problem) to vanquish their Egyptian enemies for good. Again, the bigger reason for all of these things
was so that God would be known. Both the enemy and His own children would recognize Him and know Him in all of His power
and glory. If you are up against some kind of wall today or even feeling in "over your head," know that God
is on your side if you are on His side. Psalm 56:9-11 (NLT) 9 My enemies will retreat when I
call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! 10 I praise God for what he
has promised; Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. 11 I trust in
God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? You may be surrounded by problems, front,
back, and sides. However, God would like to show His power through your problems. He has your good in mind.
After all, if you could get yourself out of this bind, would you need God? If something in your life seems impossible,
it's because that's the best place for you to be aware of God's power and to show the world that your God lives! After
you have been obedient to His directions, stand and calmly wait for His deliverance. He may not come when and how you
expect it but one thing is for sure; He is never late and He will fight for you! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 8, 2010 ARE YOU JUST SEEING BRUSH STROKES? 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (NLT) I am not a connoisseur of fine art. I have always appreciated it
and wished I had the talent to draw or paint, but so far, that talent has not emerged. I don't know the styles of the
great artists or how to describe them. I just know when I see a beautiful painting. Something that portrays life.
While recently traveling, I saw paintings of utmost beauty. Since I am not able to capture these things with brush and
paint, I tried to capture them with my camera. Even then, I could not capture the very essence of what filled my eyes,
heart and mind when looking at the masterpieces painted by The Artist. For some reason, perhaps age being involved,
I found a brand new appreciation for the pictures that God so kindly paints in this world just for the enjoyment of His children.
He could have placed us in a black and white, non-dimensional, un-textured world. But, He didn't. Even these bits
and pieces of sunsets, painted deserts, lofty mountains, roaring seas, one-of-a kind flowers and blades of grass, as beautiful
as they are individually, are only part of a much larger masterpiece. Oh, how I wish I could paint! I heard someone say recently that, when you stand up very close to one of the world's
great masterpieces, all you really see is brush strokes. The painter has created the masterpiece by a multitude of brush
strokes. He has used many different colors of paint which may show up as just blobs of a color if we are standing just
a few inches from the painting. But, if we stand back, way back, and look at the whole picture, the brush strokes and
blobs of paint disappear. They turn magically into a beautiful work of art that dazzles our eyes and brings joy to our
heart. I got just a glimpse of that in God's creation during our past driving trip through the deserts, over the mountains
and along the seashore. Psalm 65:6-13 (TLB) 6 He formed the mountains
by his mighty strength. 7 He quiets the raging oceans and all the world’s clamor.
8 In the farthest corners of the earth the glorious acts of God shall startle everyone.
The dawn and sunset shout for joy! 9 He waters the earth to make it fertile.
The rivers of God will not run dry! He prepares the earth for his people and sends them rich harvests of grain. 10 He waters the furrows with abundant rain. Showers soften the earth, melting the clods and
causing seeds to sprout across the land. 11-12 Then he crowns it all with green, lush
pastures in the wilderness; hillsides blossom with joy. 13 The pastures
are filled with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. All the world shouts with joy and sings. As
you read Psalm 65:6-13, can you see the big picture? God's brush-strokes are in every mountain, ocean, dawn and sunset, and in everything
in between but these verses show us a bigger picture, a much more beautiful picture than seeing each brush-stroke individually. What about our lives though? There
is a Master Painter at work in each of our individual lives. Sometimes we don't understand how and why we only see problems
that look like misplaced blobs of the wrong color. We don't understand why the brush strokes seem to dig into us and
all we see are the ruts and valleys made by the bristles of the brush. Is it because we are standing to close to God's
painting? 2 Peter 1:5-7) (TLB) 5 And God, in his mighty
power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming
last day for all to see. 6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful
joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. 7 These trials are
only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and
your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube
of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.
Or, is it because we have become self-centered and our eyes can't look beyond our own problems and pain to see the bigger
picture - that beautiful picture of redemption and reconciliation that God is in the midst of completing? Philippians 2:3-4 (TLB) 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t
live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. 4
Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing.
God is inviting us to take some steps back and get a glimpse of His big and beautiful picture! This world
is God's canvas. Our lives are a part of that canvas. Just as great artists, like Rembrandt, created works of
art that grace the walls of art museums, God is at work on our lives to create His own works of art that fit into a much bigger
picture! Just as the clay has to be molded and formed by the Potter, so the picture of our lives and of God's final masterpiece,
must be under the skilled hand of the Master Painter. You and I are a work in progress. Some of the brush-strokes
and the colors that God uses to finish us may not make much sense to us because we are much too close to the work.
Those colors and brush-strokes may even seem detrimental to us because we can't see at the moment, how they are going to bring
life to the bigger picture. However, it is His skillful hand that is putting just the right touches on our lives so
that we become fashioned like the image of His Son. Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) 29 For God knew his people
in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them,
he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. Being
a "work in progress," isn't always much fun and it may not look very glamorous at times. However, we are God's
children and we fit perfectly into His majestic work of art. One day, when we are privileged to see the complete
picture, just as God sees it, we will be aware that He has done a glorious work and we have been given a part of His
glory! No more looking at just brush-strokes (and even feeling the harsh bristles in our lives)! Only the
glorious picture of God's work completed! MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 7, 2010 WHO ANSWERS YOUR PRAYERS? Hosea 14:8 (NLT) When
I read the above passage from Hosea, my first thought was, "duh!" God is telling the Israelites to stay away
from idols and then He states something that, at first glance, seems to be the obvious. "I am the one who answers
your prayers and cares for you." Of course He is! I'm sure we would all agree! So, why does God have
to state the obvious? Because, maybe, we don't get it yet! There was once a preacher who started His sermon
with this: John 3:16 (NLT) 16 “For God loved the world
so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Great
beginning, right? Then he repeated the verse again. And again, and again, and again. The people started
to squirm in their seats and get restless. But, the preacher just repeated that verse over and over again until his
"sermon," ended. His point was that we need to have scripture repeated over and over again until we really
"get it." In just that one verse, John 3:16, there's so much to get! God so loved the world. What does "so loved," mean? How
much does God love the whole world? Well, we could keep going on through the phrases of this verse, exploring the depth
of each one and have quite a manuscript written. Even then, we would only know in part! 1 Corinthians 13:12 (AMP) 12 For now we are looking in a mirror
that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall
see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly,
even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]. The words
of God are living and we see new color and hue in them every day and as they affect each passing experience.
Hebrews 4:12-13 (TLB) 12 For
whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost
thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. 13 He
knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing
can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done. Adam and
Eve had it made, there in the garden. All their needs were taken care of and they had a Heavenly Father who spoke to
them and walked with them, personally. They knew nothing of sadness, pain, or death. They didn't have to worry
about losing a job, getting cancer, a pet dying, where their next food was coming from. They didn't have to worry about
anything. Everything was perfect. There was nothing ugly there. So the enemy used what was beautiful.
He used a gift from the Creator to seduce God's children into creating their first idol. And, he has been doing
the same thing ever since! The only fruit in the garden that God told them not to eat was not ugly. Actually it
looked, not only beautiful, but even quite tasty. Genesis 3:6 (AMP) 6 And when the woman saw that the
tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make
one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate. It was not
bad, in and of itself. There would probably have been a time when God said, "Go ahead and eat." But,
this was not the time. This was the one and only restriction Adam and Eve had. Not many rules to remember there!
How many times are we attracted to or even attached to something that, in and of itself, is not bad? In fact, it may
even be really good! How many times do you and I forget that God is the One who answers our prayers and the only
One who really cares for us? When the enemy comes around our camp of blessing, He will usually try to "hook,"
us with one of those blessings! What is it that you and I look at that looks so good that it gives us
temporary amnesia and makes us take our eyes off of God? For me, it is clothes, for one thing. Another thing is
bargains. Those are kind of obvious things. But, what about the compromises we make when watching TV or listening
to a piece of music that goes against God's principles? The TV is not bad, all by itself. In fact, it can help
us to learn good things, hear good sermons, and stay abreast of what is happening in the world. Music is certainly
not intrinsically bad. It can be quite good when used to bring us comfort, to help us express our praise to God,
and even to bring healing to troubled minds and bodies! God loves music. He sings Himself! Zephaniah 3:17 (AMP) 17 The Lord your God is in the midst
of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in
His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing. It
is when we use God's gifts in the wrong way or place the emphasis on them, rather than on Him, that we get into trouble and
the Lord may need to remind some of us as He reminded the Israelites, "I am the one who answers your prayers and I am
the one who cares for you deeply." He may have to say to some of us, "Stay away from idols." As
a final thought, an idol, for us, can be another person. It could be a child, a spouse, or any other person that
we think about more than we think about the Lord. We can come to depend upon our spouse to make us happy.
That's when the spouse becomes an idol. God said, "all your fruit comes from me." When we
cling to anything too tightly or put our expectations in anyone but God, we are in danger of creating a, "little
god," or an idol for ourselves. We can't serve all these little gods in our life and serve Jehovah, God too!
Matthew 6:24 (AMP) 24 No one can serve two masters;
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against
the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).
It's good to take a little time to think about this and sort out our hearts and lives, putting everything back in it's rightful
place. God gives us good gifts to enjoy. Some of those gifts are for just a certain time and place. There
isn't anything that God gives us that is not good! It's what we do with those good gifts that
God has created. If any little thing becomes the end-all, be-all for us; if there is anything in our lives that
we just can't live without (except God, of course); have we created a little god or an idol? When we try to worship
more than the One God, we are double (or more) minded. Not a good place to be and very dangerous, to boot! James 1:8 (KJV) 8 A
double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Has the evil one deceived you into cherishing any
one (or more) of God's good gifts so that you feel incapable of letting it go? If so, God is waiting for you to
put that thing or person back in it's rightful place and take your rightful place in the presence of the only One who will
ever be able to answer your prayers, the only One who will ever wholeheartedly care for you, and the only One who can may
your life fruitful and satisfying! Is it time to do some house cleaning? MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY
6, 2010 MORNING MANNA - FEBRUARY 5, 2010 FIRST STEPS Jeremiah 3:25 (MSG) .............. From the time we took our first steps, said our
first words, we've been rebels, disobeying the voice of our God." God spoke long ago to Jeremiah about the children of Israel. The writer of, "The Message," paraphrases
Jeremiah 3:25, in this way, ".....from the time we took our first steps........ " In this case, those
first steps were not good ones. They were steps of rebellion and of wandering from the path of their Heavenly Father.
We all have a tendency to take wrong steps. Job 31:4-8 (ASV) 4 Doth not he see my ways, And number
all my steps? 5 If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to
deceit (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity); 7 If
my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands: 8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out. When
Job was going through his trials, he acknowledged that God was numbering all of his steps. He is numbering my steps
and your steps too! Job asked God to check to see if he had walked in steps that were out of God's ways.
That is not a bad thing for us to ask too. Sometimes our trials are because of our own willingness to take steps
that are out of the will of God. If that sounds harsh to you, let me encourage you that the Father that watches over
our steps and numbers them is not willing that any of us should go down the wrong road and perish. 2 Peter 3:8-9 (TLB) 8 But don’t forget this, dear
friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord. 9 He
isn’t really being slow about his promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting, for the
good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent. He
is a loving Father who is standing there, holding His hands out, calling us to take the first steps toward Him and away from
the path of destruction! If you are a parent or a
grandparent, you will most likely remember the time your precious child took their first steps. Usually, they either
pull themselves to a standing position or another person stands them up and you stay a few steps away with your arms open
to them. Then you begin to call to them to try to walk to you. You are smiling. You are encouraging.
You want them to succeed because you love them and you want them to be all they can be. They look toward you smiling
face and put one clumsy little tiny foot in front of the other, let go and try to walk. They may take a step or two.
Then they crumble to the floor. You either run to them or begin telling them how wonderfully they did. And then,
you stand them up and have them try again! Each time they make a bit of progress, you are overjoyed. It may even
bring a tear to your eye, the way they press on to do what, to them, was before the impossible. Oh my, will you take
a look at our Heavenly Father's face right now? Do you see His loving smile? Do you see His outstretched arms
just waiting to catch us as we take our baby steps toward Him? Even the most spiritual among us are just babies to Him!
As we keep our eyes on our Father and walk toward Him, we obtain wisdom to walk further and further. If we take
our eyes off of the encouraging and loving face of our Father, we're either going to fall, unable to get up or
go in a dangerous direction. Hosea 14:9 (AMP) 9 Who is wise, that he may understand
these things? Prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the Lord are right and the [uncompromisingly] just shall walk
in them, but transgressors shall stumble and fall in them. If we go the wrong direction, we will soon find ourselves
lost in sin and unable to find our way back. I've been there and done that! I don't want to do it again!!
So, I'm going to be content, by God's grace, knowing that I can't even take a step if my eyes are not on my Father! I was talking with my sister
today about the times we think we have taken giant steps in some area and then God shows us that we haven't, "arrived,"
just yet. He may ask us to go in a certain direction and lead our steps. What He is doing is taking us from one
level of faith to a higher level faith in baby steps. Romans 1:17 (KJV) 17 For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For instance, we may have
had some awful things happen to us in our lives. It could be as bad as someone trying to kill us. Someone we thought
we could trust as our protector. Then, when it's all over, God asks us to forgive that person. Oh, this is so
very hard! However, we have a heart toward God and we take a step and maybe a few more steps to forgive the offender.
Our Father is holding out His hands guiding and upholding us as we take these very hard first baby steps. Our spiritual
muscles probably are getting a bit tired. As loving as He is, God will not push us so hard that He destroys us.
Again, I am going to refer to a paraphrase from, "The Message," because I think it fully describes how our Father
will not let us down when teaching us to walk those baby steps from faith to faith. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) 13 No test or temptation that comes
your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down;
he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it. Because God
has asked us to take some hard steps and our spiritual legs get tired, He will pick us up and refresh us along the way.
Matthew 11:28-30 (TLB) 28 Come to me and I will give you
rest—all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. 29 Wear my yoke—for
it fits perfectly—and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; 30 "for I give you only light burdens." That doesn't mean
that we have reached the destination. It just means that He will soothe those tired muscles and cuddle us under His
wings until we're strong enough to take some more small steps. Psalm 91:4 (NLT) 4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. While it's true that
God will ask us to do the impossible, the One with whom nothing is impossible is right there along with us. What has
God asked you to do that seems impossible? It could be to forgive someone that, in the world's eyes, is unforgivable.
It might be to love someone who is very unlovely. It could be to sow a financial seed into a worthy ministry.
It could be as simple as taking the first wobbly steps toward your Father and then just sitting in the presence
of His approving smile and listening to Him sing over you with joy. Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) 17 For the Lord your God is living
among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He
will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” As humans, we have a tendency to want to get to our destination
and sometimes we pay little attention to the journey. But, our Father is numbering each step we take. Although
we may feel pretty proud of some of those steps, to Him they are just baby steps over which He rejoices because they are headed
in His direction. Let's not be so goal oriented that we forget that each of our steps is ordered by God. Let's
remember that we cannot even take a step by ourselves. Acts 17:28 (NIV) 28 'For in him we live and move
and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Let's take joy in the
fact that, although we have not reached our destination, the Lord is with us to get us there. Each step is important.
He watches each one and guides us along if we will keep our eyes on Him. Wherever we are in the journey, let's take
time for a second to look back and see the level of faith from which He has already brought us and then look to Him in expectation
taking the next first steps to the next level of faith! If we follow Jesus, we will reach our destination. He
once had the feet of a tiny baby. As He took steps toward His goal, He trusted His Father through thick and thin.
Many tried to stop Him because He wasn't like the world. He didn't walk like the world walked. We don't either.
We walk in His footprints and when we are too weak, our footprints disappear as He carries us for a while.
Jesus walked the whole way, giving us an example of a resolute and victorious walk. Luke 13:32 (AMP) 32 And
He said to them, Go and tell that fox [sly and crafty, skulking and cowardly], Behold, I drive out demons and perform healings
today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish (complete) My course. What first steps is your Father
encouraging you to take today? If we are obedient and trusting, we will reach and complete the course He has set
for each of us! His arms will still be open and His face will still have that loving smile . As we step into those
loving arms, we will hear the sweetest song He will ever sing to anyone, aside from His song of joy over our
salvation. Matthew 25:23 (NLT) 23 “The master said,
‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you
many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ Enter subhead content here Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here |
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