2013 July 31 - Morning Manna

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)

 

Today's Morsel: One of the things about playing the online game "Words With Friends" on the IPad is that it will not allow you to play words that aren't really words. I will agree that sometimes some of my friends use words that I've never heard before. When I try to use some words that I know are words, because they aren't in the system, the game won't allow me to play them. So I guess the IPad must have read Moses' instructions, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you." I believe the reason so many people have trouble serving God is that they try to add to His word to make it fit their liking. But James tells us, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:22-25). We can't change God's Word if we expect it to help us. We have to take it at face value.

Sing: Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little to one to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so.

2013 July 30 - Morning Manna

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:10-14)

 

Today's Morsel: When is the last time you've written a letter to someone like you used to when you were young and in school? You know it seems that the more we move toward the cyberspace and social media, the more we have lost the touch of staying in touch. We don't seem to talk and communicate any more. My wife, though, is good about staying in touch with people. She sends cards, notes, and letters to people all the time. And every so often she will receive a letter back from some of the older, more senior people that she writes to. At Christmas she sends out hundreds of Christmas cards and may get only a few back. She always tell me she doesn't send cards out to get cards back, but to let others know that there is still someone who cares. The apostle Paul seems to be a man who stayed in touched and communicated with others. He stayed connected with those he labored with. As I write this, I'm repenting for not writing more to those whom I know. Even families don't communicate anymore. We never know what a card, note or letter may do for someone. So let's not lose this precious gift. You just may heal someone of loneliness, depression, or even a suicidal attempt. The golden rule is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12). Our song today is what we use to sing during the war in Viet Nam.

Sing: I'll be so glad, when mail call time comes around.(2x) I gonna sit, right down, on the cold and wet and muddy ground, and I'm gonna wake up in the morning with mail call time on my mind.

2013 July 29 - Morning Manna

"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (Psalms 34:8).

 

Today's Morsel: There are certain foods that I really love. I can remember once when my friend's mother cooked a banana pudding, and my friend allowed me to taste of it without his mother's permission. After that first taste it was so good that I couldn't stop eating it. And before long, a large portion of her pudding was gone. When my friend's mother came home and saw her banana pudding, needless to say she was not a happy camper with us. Just a taste can cause you to want to eat the entire thing when something is good. Some foods are so good, you just hate to see when it's all gone. I have seen people go back for seconds, and when they realize that it is all gone they say, "Who ate it all?" The psalmist tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. If we will just perceive within ourselves how good Jesus truly is, we will want more and more of Him all the time. God is good. So why not taste and eat all of Him. And the Word was made flesh (John 1:14).

Sing: I keep falling in love with Him, over and over, and over and over again. He gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by, oh what a love between my Lord and I; I keep falling in love with Him, over and over and, over and over again.

2013 July 27 - Morning Manna

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11)

 

Today's Morsel: Every life, whether human or animal, has blood. No life can live without blood. God has made this special liquid with the right stuff to keep us living. If one's blood becomes contaminated, the person can die. When Adam and Eve sinned, it contaminated the blood line. Therefore, for us to live, we must have a blood transfusion. We must now take out the blood of the first man Adam, and replace it with the blood of Jesus Christ. Moses wrote that the life of the flesh is in the blood. Therefore, when we are born again, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. When we have His blood in our veins, we can live forever if we do not allow it to become contaminated by the world.

Sing: O yes, O yes, I'm a child of the king, His royal blood now flows through my veins. I who was wretched and blind now can sing, praise God, praise God, I'm a child of the king.

2013 July 26 - Morning Manna

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
(Mark 5:25-34)

Today's Morsel: I know of so many people today that would love to just be able to touch Jesus the way that this woman did and receive immediate healing for their condition. But what many fail to realize is that this woman had lived with her condition for twelve years before she was healed. Some may ask what the difference is between this woman touching Jesus and her being healed and why they have touched touched Jesus but are not healed? Was her faith stronger than someone else's faith? Most of us reading the Bible would agree that the apostle Paul was a man of great faith. But when he asked Jesus to remove his thorn from his flesh, he was told, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Whatever it was, it was not taken from him, he was basically told to live with it. The man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5) was in his condition for 38 years. The man lame at the Gate Beautiful (Acts 3) was about 40 years old before he was healed. So how long should we be willing to wait for our healing? Until Jesus comes. Just keep believing and trusting Jesus.

Sing: Touching Jesus, is all that really matters, and your life will never be the same, there is only one way to touch Him, just believe when you call on His name.

2013 July 25 - Morning Manna

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. (Hebrews 6:9)

 

Today's Morsel: Have you ever noticed that when you purchase a new vehicle, the dealer goes through such great details to tell you about the vehicle to make sure you understand how everything works and what features come with it? But all too often, when a person receives salvation, they aren't told what they have. They are left to figure it out by themselves. Therefore, by the time the person who should be explaining it gets to them, others have filled their head with so much confusion that the person is saying, "I don't know if I want this or not." Do you know what came with your salvation? Let me list a few things for you: Eternal life, Liberty from yourself so that you can serve others, An abundance of grace and mercy, And a Father and family who loves and cares about you. If you will read the book (the Bible), you can see all the things that you have. Remember, the Holy Ghost is just the earnest of your inheritance, you have a great recompense of reward.

Sing: Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more, here's my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

2013 July 24 - Morning Manna

"When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria."
(John 4:1-4)

 

Today's Morsel: When I was in the army, my secretary would put 3x5 cards with my next day's agenda written on them on my desk so I would know where I needed to be and the appropriate time to be there. I always tried to stick to the agenda because others were depending on me. I knew their time was important as well, and so I always tried to stay on schedule. But sometimes, it was not possible to stay on schedule if I ran into a soldier that had problems and needed to talk with me. Then my agenda or schedule was scrubbed. The Bible said that Jesus' schedule was taking Him to Galilee, and the route He was on took Him through Samaria. While there, He encountered a woman that was not on His agenda as far as we can tell, but she, as well as the people of the city, were placed on His agenda and He spent two days with them ( John 4:40). I want you to know that today, you are on God's agenda and He's going to be passing your way (Luke 19:1-7). If it seems that He's running just a little behind schedule, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 10:35-11:1). If He doesn't get there when you think He should; don't worry and don't doubt, He'll get there according to His agenda.

Sing: We shall see the King. We shall see the King. We shall see the King when He comes. He's coming in His power, we'll hail the blessed hour. We shall see the King when He comes.