2014 March 17 - Morning Manna

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel... And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes."(Numbers 13:1-3;17-20)

 

 

Today's Morsel: When I was an Infantry Squad Leader and an Instructor at the Reconnaissance School, one of my duties was to teach soldiers how to go into the enemy area and obtain information.  We used what was called the SALUTE Report.  The letters stood for Size, Activity, Location, Uniform, Time, and Equipment.  Once they had this information, they would then meet and disseminate the information to other soldiers so that all would have the same information should one get captured or killed.  The Lord told Moses to send men to espy out the land of promise.  They all brought back their salute report, but some of them brought back an evil report.  It was not their job to provide an evil report, it was their duty to gather information.  It was Moses' job to determine the strength and weakness of the enemy based on the information they brought back to him.   Always remember, it not your duty to tell others how big your enemy is, it's your duty is to tell the people how big your God is.  "And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." (Numbers 10:35)  Your enemy is no match for your God.  Once he sees the ARK, he flees.  As long as you keep Jesus lifted up in your life, your enemy will flee.  So be encouraged.

 

Sing: Well, I'm going to the enemy's camp, gonna, take back what he stole from me; I'm going to the enemy's camp, gonna, take back what he stole from me; I'll put him under my feet, under my feet, I'm claiming the victory.

2014 March 15 - Morning Manna

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
(Jeremiah 12:5)

 

Today's Morsel: With the hustle and bustle of life these days, it seems hard for some to keep pace.  As we press towards that mark, many are beginning to fall by the wayside.  Many are starting to lose steam up that rugged hill.  It has been stated that the hardest part of climbing any mountain is the summit.  Why does it seem that we tire as we get closer to the top or closer to crossing the finishing line?   The children of Israel quit right at the finish line.  What will it take for us to get that other spirit that Caleb had?  The Lord spoke of Caleb, that he had another spirit. "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it."(Numbers 14:24).   For some reason, Caleb, did not tire doing what the Lord, Moses, and Joshua had asked of him to do.  Scripture says, "Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance."(Joshua 14:6-13)  At 85 years old and he was still able.  A man with tenacity, determination and commitment.  What a man.  No quitting in him.  What about you?  Will you be able to say as Caleb, "Give me my mountain?"  Jeremiah asked, "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" Remember, when you are tired, it's just weakness leaving the body.  Get into the Lord's gym and press through the pages of His word and worship Him and He will give you the strength to carry on.

 

Sing: He gives strength to me, as I worship Him, as my heart, is filled with praise. Jesus breaks the band, as I raise my hands, He gives glorious victory.

2014 March 14 - Morning Manna

Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.   (Psalms 118:28-29)

 

Today's Morsel:  The 118th Psalm is a very encouraging Psalm.  The others are too because many of them are songs to sing.  We are told to speak to ourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).  I like singing the word of God because it helps me remember scriptures and hide the word in my heart.  Why does God want His people to sing?  Because singing uplifts our spirit.  Singing spiritual song and quoting the psalms causes us to focus on Christ and not on self.  When our focus is on Christ, He keeps us in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).  Isaiah also said that He's given us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so that we would be trees of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:3)  The psalmist said, "Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."  When we give thanks to God, it causes us to realize who is our God.  Maybe you aren't feeling like yourself today.  Maybe you are feeling a little under the weather, or a little dismayed.  Maybe you have lost your hope and joy.  Let me encourage you today.  Open your Bible to the book of psalms and read Psalm 118 a few times and see don't you feel better.  It will uplift you, because you are going to discover who your God is.

 

Sing:  Thou art my God, and I will praise thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever.

2014 March 13 - Morning Manna

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:1-4)

 

Today's Morsel:  Reading in the paper a few weeks ago, it said that there is a new disease called "SAD".  That now stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I thought to myself, WHAT?   They said because it has been so cold this winter, many people have not been able to get out of their houses and do things. And so they are becoming negatively affected by having to remain inside and are depressed.  But the article went on to say that it can affect people in the spring and fall, too.  Now I know this is a trick of the devil if people are depressed in the spring and summer.  Man, I'm smelling the roses and drowning some worms during those two seasons.  There isn't going to be any depression here.  I don't know about you, but as for me and my house, we are going outside in all seasons.  People go to the beach and pool to swim and get wet, and then stay inside when it rains.  Get your umbrella out and get outside and get wet and enjoy what God has provided. Don't stay inside and mope because of the snow.  Make a snow man.  I like shoveling the snow and even eating some of it, as long as it isn't yellow.  I like standing outside in the cold for a while. It helps you get rid of the impurities in your body.  For me, I'm affected by every season.  Winter, I rejoice.  Summer, I rejoice.  Spring, I rejoice.  And yes, Fall, I rejoice.  Do you know why?  Because scripture says, "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."(Psalms 118:24)  Seasons come and season go, but the word of the Lord is forever.  And He tells me to rejoice for evermore.

 

Sing:  This is the day! This is the day! That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it, this is the day, this is the day, that the Lord hath made.

2014 March 12 - Morning Manna

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 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.
(Jeremiah 17:9-10)

 

Today's Morsel: Most people are shocked when they know someone who does wrong things.  Most of the time they will say, I would have never thought they would do such a thing.  But really, it was always in the person's heart, they had just never dealt with it at the altar to rid themselves of it.  Walking away from God, divorce, stealing, cheating, lying, etc, are things already in the heart of a person.  They just had to have the time to grew to fruition before they manifested themselves.  This is why we must deal with our hearts on a daily basis.  We must have a daily intake of God's word, and apply it's teaching to our lives, as that is the only way a man's heart is cleansed ( Psalms 119:9). The Lord told Jeremiah, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  You may not know your heart, but I promise you, if you keep reading and studying God's word, praying and worshipping Him, He will reveal it to you, and you will be able to see it and know it clearly.  

 

 

Sing: Create in me a clean heart, O' God. And renew a right spirit within me.  Create in me a clean heart, O' God. And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away, from Thy presence, O' God; take not Thy Holy Spirit from me, restore unto me the joy of Thy Salvation, and renew a right spirit within me.

2014 March 11 - Morning Manna

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.   (Revelation 3:1-6)

 

 

Today's Morsel:  Some people look at the book of Revelation and fear.  While others look and are confused. But those of us who have been born again should see the book of Revelation as book of preparation for going home. We should see it as book with instruction and guidelines to encourage, to build up, and one that shows us what we are looking forward to.  Every time I read the book of Revelation, I come away with excitement when I think about being before the Lord for eternity.  Every so often, I like to go to the book of Revelation and take a closer look at those seven churches that John spoke of.  Out of the seven, two seem to have it together. Five were called to repentance.  The church Sardis was chastised of the Lord for having a name to live by, but they were dead.  How  could any church who has the name of Jesus be dead? What killed them?  If you never sing about Jesus, if you never teach about Jesus, if you never pray in Jesus name, if you never baptize people in Jesus name, and if you never preaching under the anointing of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name, your church is going to be dead.  Sardis was told to strengthen the things that they had remaining.  They had a few people who were still trying to hold it together but because they weren't doing anything in Jesus name, they too were ready to die.  I have seen so  many churches like this. T hey had a few older saints that have been there forever because that is the church they grew up in.  They can tell you of the good services that they used to have and how they had a mighty move of God in their services.  But then they say, we started to do  a lot of new things and we never hear about Jesus any more.  All the songs and messages are narcissism and humanism, and so we are just treading water.  Does this sound like your church?  Let me encourage you today, if you have the faith as a grain of a mustard seed, then "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."(2 Peter 1:5-8)  We all must strengthen those things we have remaining in us.  How's your faith today?  Always remember, God's not dead He's alive.

 

Sing: God's not dead, He is alive. My God's not dead, He is alive.  My God's not dead, He is alive, I feel Him and He's keeping me alive.

2014 March 10 - Morning Manna

And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:10-16)

 

Today's Morsel: I often hear from people who do not understand the Bible and begin to find fault with God for some of the things they read.  For example, I was asked to come speak to a group of men who had just been released from prison.  One of the men who was in the group, when he learned that I was a pastor, became immediately upset, and said to me, " I don't see how anybody can serve and believe in anything that hates people."  I said to him, "I don't understand what you mean."  He said, "I'm gay and God teaches to hate us."  I said to him, "Who told you that?"   I went on, "God doesn't hate you. God loves you. God hates sin and anything that goes against His word.   If I lie, God hates that.  If I steal, God hates that, because it goes against His word."  I told him that God hates sin, but He loves the sinner.   You see if we are not careful, we can believe what others say without searching it out for ourselves.

Under the law that God gave to Moses, cursing would fall under the commandment "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain."   And so when the people heard a young man had blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed, they brought him unto Moses.  And when Moses ascertained of the Lord what should be done unto him the Lord said, "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death." What God was showing us here is this:  Sin must be dealt with in the church and in the life of people.  If a church never preaches against sin and if it never deals with sin, then people from the youngest to the oldest will think that it is okay to do.  God was setting a standard with the children of Israel, that sin must be dealt with in every life. Always remember, if you say that you are born again of the water and the spirit, sin should not have dominion over you.  Sin should no longer rein in your life.  Eradicating sin from a life must begin at the earliest age.  God doesn't hate you, God loves you.  He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

 

Sing: Search, me, O' God and try my heart today; see if there be a wicked way in me.  Cleanse me from sin, and purge my heart I pray, that I may be, more like You each day.