2011 March 17 - Morning Manna

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. (Job 38:1-4)

Today's Morsel: God seems to hit Job with some pretty hard questions.  Job seemed to be dumbfounded at the questions God was throwing at him.  Job was so awestruck, that all he could say was, " Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further"(Job 40:4-6).  God wanted Job to know that when Job got it all figured out, to come talk with Him.  By the time God finished with questioning Job, Job just said, "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee..... I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee" (Job 42:2;5).  Paul said that the natural man cannot receive the things of God because they are spiritual discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).  This is why we need the Spirit of God to understand the things that are written in the Bible.  The Bible is God inspired (1Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).  As for me, I don't question what God has written in His word because it has proven true in my life.  We are admonished to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  I am encouraged by each word and page of the Bible.  I am always uplifted and  motivated by what is written.    I don't need God to ask me the hard questions as He did Job.  I just want Him to tell me, "Well done good and faithful servant enter the joy which I have prepared for you."  Because no one can contend with God.

Sing:  Oh I want to see Him, look upon  His face. There to sing forever, of His saving grace. On the streets of glory, let me lift my voice, cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.

2011 March 16 - Morning Manna

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Today's Morsel: How many of you pray for your leaders?  How much time do you spend praying for the leaders of your country?  How many of you pray for everyone you know?  I've noticed that politics makes and causes many enemies and much division, even in the church.  I wonder what God would do to the leadership of a country, organization, or business if we prayed for them.  I believe that our prayers, first and foremost, should be what Paul said about all men and that is that they would be saved.  If your leaders aren't saved, you can rest assured they aren't going to lead and govern godly.  So don't look for it nor expect it.   When Israel was in bondage under Pharaoh, they prayed to God to be delivered.  And the Lord told Moses, "I have heard the cry of my people, go and tell Pharaoh to let my people go."  Scripture says,"And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:12-14). I believe that it is time that we, the people of God, heed His word so that the land can be healed. Do I have any takers?

Sing:  Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain, free to all a healing scream, flows from Calvary's mountain.

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever; till my raptured soul shall find, rest beyond the river.

2011 March 15 - Morning Manna

"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. 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" (Romans 12:1-2).

Today's Morsel:  I have come to realize that if nothing changes, nothing changes.  If we say that we are born again, then that means that we are to be changed into the image of Jesus Christ.  But if there is no change in our actions, attitudes, affections, and affirmation, then we haven't changed.  John said, "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (1 John 2:6).  If I say that I am a Christian and no one can tell it, then I probably haven't changed.  If my walk isn't the same as His walk, and I am still walking in the flesh and not the Spirit, then I haven't changed.  If I'm not carrying a cross, then I haven't changed.  Jesus died on a cross.  The flesh died, but the Spirit was made alive. Thus, when we die through repentance, we crucify the flesh, and we are now to live and walk in the Spirit and no longer the flesh.  When I picked up my cross, I died to this world.  I don't look like the world, I don't act like the world, and I don't stake claim to the world.  Repentance is death to this world.  And until we die to it, we aren't carrying a cross, we are just faking it.  Scripture says, "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5).  In other words, if we don't change our direction we are going to perish.  "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else," Jesus said (Isaiah 45:22).  Salvation always begin with change.  And that change starts in our minds.

Sing:  Change my heart O' God, make it ever true, change my heart O' God, may I be like You!

2011 March 14 - Morning Manna

Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:6-9)

Today's Morsel: Often when I read scriptures, I wonder why so many of the children of Israel never saw Moses as trying to help them instead of adding more work and burdens to them?  Scripture says that they hearkened not to Moses for anguish of Spirit, and for cruel bondage.  They accused him for what they were going through, and therefore, they wouldn't listen to him.  They said it was Moses' fault for their suffering and anguish, not Pharaoh's.  They felt if Moses had stayed in his place, they would have had the things they needed to meet their daily task.  It wasn't Moses' fault that they were in bondage, it was their own forefathers' fault for selling Joseph into slavery.   Moses was just doing what God told him to do to set them free.   Do you get mad with your leaders when things aren't going your way and then you no longer listen to them?  It's true, everything rises and falls upon leadership.  It seems that leadership suffers the blame for things that go wrong in peoples lives.  The Bible says that Moses was the meekest man, yet the people didn't see it that way.  They saw him as the cause of more cruel bondage, they never saw him as a liberator.  Even after their freedom from their Egyptian taskmasters, they still saw Moses as the cause for what they went through and for where they were now in the wilderness.  Someone said, "You couldn't please some people if you hung them with a new rope."   God is using His ministers to set us free, so don't see your pastor as someone causing you more anguish and bondage, see him as God's liberator sent to bring you freedom from bondage.

 

Sing: Come, ye disconsolate, wherever ye languish, come to the mercy seat, and fervently kneel.  Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Jesus said, earth, earth has no sorrow, that heaven cannot heal.

2011 March 12 - Morning Manna

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. (Exodus 5:1-4)

Today's Morsel:  Many people awake each morning and head right back to their burdens.  The same way that Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron to get back to their burdens, many today are being told the same thing.  The enemy of their soul has placed the burden of  ill health, weariness, depression, loneliness, and an abundant work load upon them, and when they ask for a day off or time to rest a little, time to go to a religious conference in hopes to recover, they are told to get back to their burdens.  You see, the enemy knows that if he can control you, you will give in to his demands for your life.  Are you  feeling weighed down and troubled? Why not cast those burdens upon the Lord as He has told you to do.  Don't keep returning to the same old burdens each day.  See each day as a new day and lift yourself above the shadows and grief.  God didn't call you to be burdened.  Jesus said that the truth shall make you free.  If He makes us free, then that means we are to be free from all things.  And that includes burdens.

Sing:  I'm not sorry, I'm not sorry, I've answered the Master's call.  Jesus took my heavy load, now I'm on the glory road, and I'm not sorry, no I'm not sorry anymore!

2011 March 11 - Morning Manna

And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. (Acts 27:1-3)

Today's Morsel:  Paul's journey across the sea to stand trial in Rome was probably made a little bit more bearable because of Julius the guard placed over him.  Julius seemed to be a very kind-heart man.   Just because one carries the title of a Christian, doesn't mean that they are always kind and compassionate with others, even though they should be.  I believe that kindness is one of those good and perfect gifts that comes from God.  Pharaoh showed kindness to Joseph and to his father Israel and his family. But it was the other Pharaoh that did not know Joseph that arose that got Egypt into trouble with God. 

 

Kindness is a great thing, but it's not going to get you into heaven.  Maybe Julius was at a point that he was tired of seeing so much unfair treatment and so he gave Paul liberty.  Or maybe while on ship, he heard Paul preaching to the others about Jesus.   Maybe he had parents who had taught him to respect an elder.  Who knows, but Julius showed Paul much kindness.  As our world spins, we will probably see less and less of people who are kind and compassionate.  But those who know Jesus must allow the fruit of the Spirit to manifest itself within them each and every day.  As Paul said, "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32).  The desire of a man is his kindness.  Peter said that if we add brotherly kindness to our godliness and charity, we'll never be unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Why?  Because kindness is a part of God's character.

Sing:  Thy loving-kindness, is better than life. Thy loving-kindness, is better than life.  My lips shall praise Thee, thus will I bless Thee, I will lift up, my hands unto Thy name.

2011 March 10 - Morning Manna

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34-35)

Today's Morsel:  John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved.  And love seems to set the stage for John's writings to us.  John seems to have found the key to Christian living, the unifying bond between different classes of people, and the mark that would distinguish the church from the world.  Paul said that we should let love be without dissemination.  In other words let it be real and sincere and without hypocrisy.  Love is the most unnatural of all virtues.  I believe that is why God has made it the defining characteristic of His people.  Jesus said that it is by this that all men shall know that you are my disciples.  So love is our mark.  Paul said that prophecy will fail, tongues will cease, and knowledge will vanish away, but love will never fail  (1 Corinthians 13:8).  Jesus isn't going to be where there is not love.  Jesus said that we are his friend, if we do whatsoever He commands us.  And He gave us a new commandment, "that you love one another as He has loved us."  You know we only obtain perfection in an area when we do the things that we know that we ought to do.   John J. Hugo said, " One's love for God is equal to the love one has for the man he loves least."   James said, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors"(James 2:8-9).  John the beloved disciple also said, "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" (1 John 3:10). Who do you belong to?

Sing:  I love Him!  I love Him!  Because He first loved me.  He purchased my salvation, on Calvary!