2012 February 29 - Morning Manna

Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

(2 Samuel 21:15-22)

Today's Morsel: Even though there were other battles, it seems that Goliath was the first giant Israel had to face. They seem to have seen nothing like Goliath before. He was a threat. A tormenter. A force to be reckoned with because of his size. The size of a man can cause you to be intimidated and fear if we aren't careful. That is what Satan tries to do, is intimidate you. He tries to make you think that he is some big giant. But Isaiah said that when we see him we are going to say, "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?" (Isaiah 14:16-17). Peter said that all he is as a roaring lion walking about seek whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:7). Basketball superstar Shack O'Neal was like a giant when he came into the NBA. Because of his size, everyone feared him. And because of his size, he pushed players around and he dominated the courts. But soon, other giants started coming into the league. And now other teams have giant players and Shack is out because they began to stand up to him and push him back. Giants are going to keep on coming. There are going to be giant problems and giant situations that you are going to face. There are going to be things that really put fear into your life. There are going to be problems so big that you are going to wonder how they got so big. But when these giants start coming, you just need to heed the Word of God and remember, "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" (1 John 4:4). There is NO weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 54:17). So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). Whose report will you believe? I choose to believe the report of the Lord.

Sing: Whose report will you believe, we shall believe the report of the Lord; Whose report will you believe, we shall believe the report of the Lord; His report says I am heal, His report says I am fillec, His report say I am free, His report says victory!

2012 February 28 - Morning Manna

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meekand lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke iseasy, and my burden is light.  (Matthew 11:28-30)

Today'sMorsel:  What is stress?  Stress is mental, emotional, or physical strain caused by anxiety or overworking. It may cause such symptoms as raised blood pressure or depression.  It is caused by the demands placed upon our bodies. If you are suffering from extreme stress or long-term stress, your body will eventually wear itself down.  But sometimes, small amounts of stress can actually be good for us. Understanding our stress level is important.  If nothing in our life causes us any stress or excitement, we may become bored or may not be living up to our potential.  If everything in our life, or large portions of our life, cause us stress, we may experience health or mental problems that will make our behavior worse.  Recognizing when we are stressed and managing our stress can greatly improve our life.  Some short-term stress; for example, what we feel before an important job presentation, test, interview, or sporting event;  may give us the extra energy we need to perform at our best.  But long-term stress; for example, constant worry over our job, school, church or family; may actually drain our energy and our ability to perform well.  Everyone faces stress. But the key is learning how to manage it and not allow it to manage you.  Knowing that we would face stress, Jesus says,"Come unto me, all ye that labourand are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learnof me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto yoursouls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Are you feeling alittle stress today? Then why not go to Jesus and allow Him to give you rest.Remember, He is the antidote for the troubled mind (John 14:1-2).

Sing: When I am burdened, or weary and sad, Jesus is all I need; never He fails to uplift and make glad, Jesus is all I need.  All that I need He will always be, all that I need till His face I see; All that I need through eternity, Jesus is all I need.

2012 February 27 - Morning Manna

"Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 6:17-20).

Today's Morsel: The size of your vessel will determine the size of anchor you will need to stabilize your ship. Anchors are rated by their holding power, which is the anchor's ability to hold a given weight. You may not need a heavy anchor on a calm day, but when the storm hits, the strength and velocity of the storm will determine the anchor you need. Do you ever feel like you are in a storm and things are blowing and moving a little bit too fast for you and you want to slow it down? When you are battling the storms of life, you hope something or someone will slow things down. Paul said that we have an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. He said that the foundation of God stands sure. When you connect to the Ark of the Covenant, you are connecting to Jesus for He is the one who sits on the mercy seat. It is Jesus that shows compassion and mercy towards us and delivers us from the storm. The psalmist said "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me" (Psalms 119:50). There is an anchor of hope in the Word of God. We just need to connect with it. To realize the strength of the anchor you’ve chosen, you’ve got to endure the storm. So let me encourage you today, don't wait for the storm to come, but prepare yourself now by attaching yourself to the right anchor. It can be the difference between life and death.

Sing: I've anchored in Jesus, the storms of life I'll brave, I've anchored in Jesus, I fear no wind or wave, I've anchored in Jesus, for He hath power to save, I've anchored to the Rock of Ages.

2012 February 25 - Morning Manna

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:1-6).

Today's Morsel: Have you ever had to deal with the trust factor? In every life, we seem to run into that wall called “Trust.” We are taught at an early age to not trust everyone. And so we run into that wall whether we will trust people or not. This is especially true if we have ever been done wrong, and I think we all have been at one time or another. If someone says something we do not like; they mistreat us, lie on us, backstab us, never invite us to be with them, they cheat on us, or they promise they will do something for us and they don’t come through, we run into the trust factor. When I conduct a faith Promise service (this is where people pledge money for missions), I ask the people, "Can God trust you with money?" Some said yes while others don't fill out a slip, and so I take that as a no. No, God can’t trust them with money. Because Faith Promise says, "I don't have it, but God will provide it." So I ask you today, just what can God trust you with? Can He trust you with the Gospel? Can He trust you with His power and authority? Can He trust you with His people? Can He trust you with His gifts? Can He trust you with His Spirit? What can He trust you with? Can He trust you with you? You see, that trust factor is always going to be there because human beings are going to do you wrong. I’m sure there have been those who have told you of someone you can't trust. And the reason they tell you that is that they don't want you to fall into the same trap that they did and get hurt. Good friends will do that for you. But deep within each of us, even though we are told such things, we still want to give the person a chance to prove that what was told us isn't true. Solomon tell us, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." You see, trusting God is not like trusting man. Man will fail you, but God will not fail you. When we trust God with all our being, it brings us into a relationship with Him that no matter what comes our way, we know that God has our best interest at heart.

Sing: Now know I that the LORD saves His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven, with the saving strength of His right hand, they are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

2012 February 24 - Morning Manna

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Revelation 21:10-23)

Today's Morsel: Heaven! The final resting place. Home for the saints of God. A place of no more suffering and pain. But I'm afraid that so many who talk about heaven, don't really want to go there. From all indications, many people are trying to extend their life upon the earth for as long as possible. Even medical professionals are trying to find ways to extend life. Me, I don't want any heroics. When it's my time, let me exit stage right. For some, as soon as there is an abnormality, it is doctor here I come. If pain last longer than a day, something must be wrong with them. Does the church really believe in heaven, or are we Christian atheists?

Do we talk about heaven just to win souls and make others happy, or do we talk about heaven because we really want and plan to go there? I believe that one of the fallacies with the church is that we aren't having heaven here on earth. Jesus said that we should pray that God's will be done in the earth as it is in heaven. Well, when sinners repent, heaven rejoices, Jesus said. But the church doesn't get excited until someone gets baptized or receives the Holy Ghost. The next time you see someone in your church that you know who wasn't living according to God's Word repents or lift up their hands to God, get excited with heaven and rejoice! Worship God. It'll make it easier for you when you get there.

Sing: I want to know how it feel, to make my way down the streets of gold. I want to know how it feels, to have a talk with the saints of old. I want to know what it's like, to rest my feet by the river of life; I've heard of heaven and I know that it's real, I want to know how it feels.

2012 February 23 - Morning Manna

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands (2 Corinthians 11:24-33)

Today's Morsel:When we look at the book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, the key word is “Remember.” Moses wanted the children of Israel to remember everything that the Lord had done for them, how He brought them out of Egypt, how He fought for them, how He had provided for them, and how He delivered them. So he said, all the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years." He wanted them to remember because there is always a great danger when we forget too soon. When we forget what God has done for us, it causes us to be lifted up with pride and we say we don’t need the church, we’ve done all this by ourselves. When we look at the life of the apostle Paul, he is calling our attention to what God had done for him. This is done to enhance and increase our faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Paul went through many things in his life for the Gospel. Like Paul, there are many storms we encounter, not only natural, but also physical and spiritual storms as well. The account Paul gives of his life would have been enough to make even the strongest man in the world turn around and give up. But Paul had had an encounter with The One that can calm the storm. And so he said that none of those things moved him. Paul didn’t give up. He said "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Someone said, "No one really cares about the storms you faced at sea, they are only concerned if your brought the ship into port safely."

Sing: There's a storm out, on the ocean, and it's moving, this away. If your soul's not, anchored in Jesus, you will surely drift away!

2012 February 22 - Morning Manna

Peter said, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever
(1 Peter 1:22-23).

Today's Morsel: At the beginning of each New Year, people make New Year’s resolutions of things they are going to do. But few make it out of the first month. And that is because they have not changed their way of thinking. Israel was only three days into their journey from four hundred years of slavery and they wanted to turn around. To be born again, is to start anew; it is a refreshing and it takes time for growth. Peter said that we need to be born again of the incorruptible seed, the Word of God. James said that we must become doers of the word and not hears only. And Jesus said that except a grain of wheat falleth into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it dies, it will bring forth fruit, some 30, 60, and some 100 fold. So I ask you today, are you born again according to the Word of God? Jesus said that heaven and earth would pass away but His Word would not pass away. Corruptible seed perishes, while incorruptible seed is undecaying and immortal. That means the Word of God lives and abides forever. When we understand that Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and our new birth is to be according to His Word (John 3:3-5;Acts2:38), then we can understand why Paul told Timothy, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17). Jesus is after the order of Melchisedec; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually (Hebrews 7:3); so we can see why we must be born of that incorruptible seed, Jesus! When you are born into this world, you are born of corruptible seed. When you die physically, you go back to the dust. But when you are born again spiritually, of the water and the spirit (incorruptible seed) according to the Word of God, and you have lived a holy and separated life unto God, you never die, but will always have eternal life,not only in this world, but in the world to come.

Sing: Born again, there's been a change in me. Born again, just like Jesus said. Born again, and all because of Calvary, I'm so glad that I've been born again.