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A SONG AND A PRAYER |
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MORNING MANNA - JULY 1-15, 2007
Enter subhead content here  MORNING MANNA - JULY 15, 2007 - LOVING YOURSELF BY GETTING WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING Proverbs 19:8 (New Living Translation) It's amazing how many seem to be fulfilling
the prophesy about the last days where the Bible says people will be lovers of themselves. All you have to do is turn
on the TV and you'll find it all over the soap operas, the movies shown, and even the news. (2 Timothy 3:2) Yet, Proverbs 19:8 says if we gain wisdom, we love our self. What's with that? It sort of sounds like
a contradiction, doesn't it? How do you love yourself? In a self-centered, "me first",
"never mind you," sort of way? Or do you love the creation that God made, the "you" He
designed for great purpose and for eternity? To want to have wisdom shows that we are looking out for God's
creation. Taking care of those things we need to ensure the fulfillment of our earthly purpose and our safe delivery
into Heaven. The King James Version puts it this way: "He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul:..."
The word, "acquire (or as the KJV getteth," also has within its meaning, procurement, purchase and owning.
We all need wisdom and we can all have it. (James 1:5) God knows we need it and He never turns us down when we ask for it. Nor, does he treat us as any less just
because we ask for it. Have you acquired wisdom this morning? Jesus is, not only our Wisdom, but He
purchased our right to it at the cross. (1 Corinthians 1:30) Jesus paid the highest price for you and for me because of His love for us. We are to love ourselves in
a healthy, balanced way, seeing ourselves as Jesus sees us. That will cause us to seek Him. That is
wisdom. That will keep us alive and thriving. (Acts 17:28) The Wisdom we need to own is Jesus, Himself. In
Him is everything we need. He created everything and He holds everything together. (Jeremiah 51:15, Colossians 1:17) He knows everything about everything. He is Wisdom beyond our understanding but He will share it with us
if we will ask for it. When we get tangled up in ourselves, though, we do not have His wisdom. We have the
wisdom of the world which is fast dying. That is foolishness to God. (1 Corinthians 3:19) When we operate in this world's wisdom, we will find ourselves in a position of opposition to God. He will
be ready to catch us in the very thing we feel that we have been most clever about. Now, that's not wisdom!
True wisdom is loving our own soul enough to find the only One who can save it and preserve it forever. Not only does Jesus, our Wisdom, save and preserve us, He prospers us if we will
cherish understanding. What does it mean to cherish understanding? Well, the primitive root of the word translated,
cherish, in Proverbs 19:8 means, "properly to hedge about (as with thorns - Strong's Concordance)." It makes me think
of understanding as a beautiful, delicate rose which is protected by the thorns on the stem and bush around it.
We are to guard and protect our understanding. Does that sort of imply that we should be careful what we see, hear and
where we go? It does to me. What we understand will depend a great deal on those three things. Solomon,
that great man of wisdom, only had understanding because He asked God for it. When he did God was pleased.
We need to ask for it too. God will be pleased as punch if we do. God gave him a heart of wisdom and understanding.
(1 Kings 3:9,10) God will give us the same thing if we ask. Not only that, God prospered Solomon in everything he did.
(1 Kings 3:13) Understanding will dictate our actions. It has to do with our abilities and skills. (Exodus 31:3) God wants us to have it so badly, He calls loudly to us by it. (Proverbs 8:1) He also wants us to cry out for it. (Proverbs 2:3) If we have understanding, we will do what is right, using those skills and abilities God has given us.
When that happens, God brings prosperity into our lives. What it means is that, when we look around, we will find good.
The King James Version says, "...He that keepeth understanding shall find good." Do you want to
find good in everything? Then, as one has said, "In all your getting, get understanding." After you get it,
don't forget to keep it. After all that Job went through, he finally understood about wisdom and understanding.
First, he asked the question as to where people could find wisdom and understanding. (Job 28:20) Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he answered his own question. The fear (or reverence) of the Lord is
true wisdom. To forsake evil is understanding. (Job 28:28) Do we have a reverential fear of the Lord today and have we forsaken every evil way? Have we allowed Jesus,
our Wisdom, to wash our sins away and live within us? If so, our lifestyle will prove it and we will find good
wherever we go. We can just go ahead this morning and love ourselves enough to do that. Right? MORNING MANNA - JULY 14, 2007 - KEEP SEARCHING! 1 Chronicles 16:11 (New Living Translation) Everybody's searching for something today. What are you searching for? I'm sure there are material
and spiritual things we are all searching for. But, are we searching for the source of all things
and of life itself? Are we continually searching for the Lord? When things are repeated in scripture, it makes
me think that God is pretty interested in us remembering them. This is one of those repeated items (Psalm 105:4) One thing is for sure. Almost everyone I know today is looking for happiness. Psalm 119:2 says that those who obey God's decrees and search for Him with all their hearts are happy! How about that?
And, it doesn't cost anything. Any money that is. It will cost you some time to fellowship with Him to find
out all about Him in His Word. But, it's well worth it. How privileged can we get? We're given
the opportunity to search for the One who created us and the world around us and to know Him personally! Don't you
feel special now. I hope so. Because you are. Would
you like to be glad and filled with joy? The Psalmist has declared, "May all who search for you (meaning God)
be filled with joy and gladness. (Psalm 70:4) If we search for God and His strength, we will receive joy and gladness. If He gives us joy, we will
have found strength in Him. The joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Do you need strength just now? There you have it. Just search for the Lord and His strength and keep on
searching. Searching for God may take an investment of time but God gives back with great interest
on anything we give to Him. In fact, the search will never be in vain. There's no way we can lose. He
has told us that if we search for Him with all of our heart, we will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:32) Yes, it does take an investment of our time and our hearts
and minds to search for God. He is always moving so it's not just a one-time thing. We need to constantly
search for Him just as the scriptures says. It's not just because He tells us to. Obedience is essential
and important. But there's another reason to keep on searching for God. It's also because He wants
to give us something. We won't be able to receive what He has to give us unless we search for Him, find Him, and
sit a while in His presence. Have you ever heard the saying, "You can't out give God?" That is not
just concerning money. It concerns everything about us. Will we give Him some time this morning and search
for Him? Will we seek Him? It takes some faith but we can do it. He wants to reward His children.
Those who believe it will seek Him with all their hearts and He will reward them. (Hebrews 11:6) I don't know where anybody could find a better deal than that! No matter what we do, we get more in return!
And yes, it does take faith. But, He even gives us the faith. (Romans 12:3) Whatever it is we need, it will all be found when we search for the Lord and His strength. Let's seek
the King of Kings and His Kingdom this morning. Some circumstances surrounding us may look bleak or even impossible
but we will find the King when we search for Him. He resides in His Kingdom. He is also our loving Father.
We're children of the King if we have believed on Jesus. He said if we seek His Kingdom first, the things we need
will be added to our lives. (Matthew 6:33) Now we even have the area of our search narrowed down. The King resides in His Kingdom. Jesus said that
the Kingdom was within us, as believers. (Luke 17:21) Now that makes the search area even more defined! A consistent search for the Lord will yield a life filled
with His goodness. He has promised that He will always be found if we are searching. His Word says, "...seek
and you will find...." (Matthew 7:7) That word, "seek," has the connotation of continually seeking. When we continually seek
God, we will be seeking the source of everything else we need. Best of all? He will allow Himself to be found by us. MORNING MANNA - JULY 13, 2007 - ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER Romans 1:12 (New Living Translation) Paul
was writing to the Romans when he wrote Romans 1:12 but that verse could be written by any one of us to another today too. Why do we visit with one another?
Why do we get together? Is it merely for things of the world and do we try leave God at home? Or is it to encourage
one another in our faith and to gain encouragement at the same time? We can bless one another so much when we make it
a point to encourage one another in our faith. We sharpen one another when we challenge each other to think of the things
of God. (Proverbs 27:17) Friends don't let friends stagger in their faith! Does
our faith serve to encourage others in their faith? Do we stand on all of God's promises without
backing down, knowing they are true even if we have not seen the manifestation yet with our natural eyes? (Psalm 18:30) Do we have spiritual eyes and encourage others with our vision? In this world, there will be times when
we have trouble. (John 16:33) But our faith reminds us that Jesus said we can take courage and be certain because He has overcome the world.
Admittedly, our natural eyes don't always confirm that. Though it is certainly done, we have to see it with
spiritual eyes until the time comes when God chooses to manifest it in the natural. That doesn't make it less true.
We just have to walk by faith and not by sight. Then encourage others to do the same. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Paul was eager to encourage the Romans in their faith
but he was also desirous of their encouragement of his faith. No matter who we are, Billy Graham, down to the newest
Christian, none of us can stand alone. We all need encouragement. In earlier times when warriors went
out with swords and shields, there was a way to link their shields together as they stood or marched in line. With their
shields linked together, they provided a much more impenetrable barrier and the could withstand a much heavier enemy attack.
That's such a good picture of us taking our shields of faith (Ephesians 6:16) and linking them together by encouraging one another. In unity and with our faith linked, the enemy will not
prevail or even get a foothold. Who are you encouraging today with your faith and who is encouraging you? Who
are you blessing and who is blessing you by sharing faith with one another? We need to take our faith out into the dark
world and win the lost but we also need to choose those to be close to us who will encourage and sharpen us in our faith while
we do the same for them. When this happens we will all be built up in the faith. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) As we are built up in our faith, we will have encouraged another to love deeply and go about doing good just as Jesus
did. (Hebrews 10:14, Acts 10:38) Let's make it a point today and everyday to encourage at least one other person in their faith. We never
know who we might be encouraging and what great works we might be inspiring. Want to be really blessed? Start
by blessing someone else with encouragement in their faith. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 give us instructions to counsel, teach and sing the words of Jesus among ourselves and to others. That's encouragement!
What we give will be given back to us! (2 Corinthians 9:6) Want more blessing, more encouragement yourself? Then purpose to encourage not only one but as many as
the Lord brings across your path. You'll find that you'll be so full of courage that your courage
cup will be overflowing into it's saucer and out onto the table! MORNING MANNA - JULY 12, 2007 - OF FOOLS AND ANGER Proverbs 19:3 (New Living Translation) Okay, I know this is a hard one for crunching on this morning! Let's crunch on this manna and
digest it anyway because all of God's Word is true. I'm sure
this doesn't apply to you personally, but maybe you know someone who is angry with the Lord or even just a bit perturbed
with Him because of their current circumstances. The King James Version of Proverbs 19:3 says, "The foolishness of man twists his way." Sometimes, it's just the truth
that the only person we should be angry with is ourselves. We are responsible for whatever situation in which
we now find ourselves. Of course, God made us in a complex and wonderful way. (Psalm 139:14) The way He made us includes the privilege and responsibility of personal choice. He has begged us to choose
the path of life. (Deuteronomy 30:19) Our choice will determine the outcome of our circumstances. Obedience brings blessing and life. Disobedience
brings cursing and death. Are right choices easy all the
time? Is it always a snap to determine the right thing to do or say? Sometimes yes. God's Word is clear
on many points. Example: We are not to commit murder. (Exodus 20:13) Just because we might feel like it, or even feel that we have good reason, we cannot take a gun or
a knife and kill another human being. Other times the choice is not so easy. The situation may fall into
a gray area where, if we do not disobey a specific law of God, the choice we make in wisdom will be proved right by
the results it produces. (Matthew 11:19) Even though this Word may be hard to swallow for some
of us because we have made some wrong choices, God has not left us without a refreshing drink of His living water to wash
it down. (John 4:10) Yes, we may have made a wrong choice along the way. Or many wrong choices. We may be in some uncomfortable
circumstances this morning because of those choices. Do we need to sit here fussing and fuming? No. All
of our anger, whether intentionally directed there or not, is against God. That is, unless we go to Him in agreement
that we have made those wrong choices. No sense denying it. He knows everything about us anyway. (Psalm 139:1) If we have missed the mark, thereby bringing trouble upon ourselves we don't need to further act the fool by blaming God.
(Jeremiah 17:9) We would be fooling only ourselves and things would probably be sure to change in our lives. For the worse!
We have a loving and compassionate God who is always willing to forgive one who comes in repentance for making a wrong
choice. (1 John 1:9) Of course, His Word to us is, "Don't do it anymore." (John 8:11) (Whatever "it" is in our lives that caused the bad situation.) That's not always easy
either. But... but, there again, He has given us everything we need to succeed. (Philippians 4:13) Do you know somebody in an uncomfortable position this morning? Someone who is just angry with seemingly nowhere
to direct their anger? Whether they know it or not, they are angry at God for the mess they have gotten themselves into.
Prayer for that person is in order. The same God who forgives still speaks to the hearts of men and women this morning
convicting and not condemning them. (John 3:17) Ever drawing them into the truth and setting them free. (Psalm 51:6) Maybe, after reading this, He has spoken to you about an area or two in your life. This is the time to
go boldly before His throne so you can receive help for what you have done. (Hebrews 4:16) Help and forgiveness for whatever mess you might have made by a wrong choice, can change your mess into
a message. All of the consequences may or may not be removed. But, when we have come clean with God, we will be
set free and have a clear conscience. (John 8:32) If we have consequences to go through, God will be right there with us. (Matthew 28:20) In the process, He will give us a new beginning. (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28) When we agree and cooperate with God, everything will change. For the better. Is Jesus the Lord of
your life? If not, you only need to ask right now. (Revelation 3:20) If He is your Lord and you have some "stuff" that is irritating you and making you angry, cast it all
on Him. He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) It is His desire to take your anger and turn it into love for Himself, for others, and for the real "you"
He created. The word for "fool" means, "moron and silly." Let none of us act foolishly this
morning. There is a God and He loves, forgives, and restores. He is a God of wisdom and He's willing
to share that wisdom with you and me. (James 1:5) No more do we need to walk in foolishness, making a mess of our lives. Now we can take the message
of a messed up life made straight and help others to find the One who makes our former messes into present and ongoing messages
of His love. MORNING MANNA - JULY 11, 2007 - THE MAJESTY OF HIS NAME Psalms 8:1 (New Living Translation) "How excellent is thy name," is how Psalm 8:1, 9 read in the King James Version. The word translated, "majesty," here in the New Living Translation was
first used in demonstrating God's power to deliver His people from bondage. As we travel the road of life, we many
times get into bondage, even without realizing it. Just the nature of today's society, especially here in America,
can cause us to slip into habits and attitudes of bondage just because, "everyone else is doing it." As we
call upon the excellent name of Jehovah, our provider, we will find deliverance from any and every bondage we might find ourselves
in. His awesome Spirit will reveal the places of bondage to us if we will listen. The power of that same Spirit
will bring deliverance just as sure as God delivered His people from Egyptian bondage. Exodus 15:11 declares that awesome power of God, declaring, "Who is like you?" We all know the obvious answer to
that question. No one is like our God. No one is so awesome. No one can perform such wonders as God can
perform. The majesty of His name does fill the earth.
It is excellent in all ways. He is Lord. But, is He our Lord? Have we each made Him the Lord
of our lives? The Psalmist says, "O Lord, our Lord" (italics mine). The majesty of God is also
given to His Son, Jesus. 2 Peter 1:16 gives an account by Peter of the power of Jesus and His promised return to earth. Peter said, "We
have seen His majestic splendor with our own eyes." We who have not seen and still believe have also seen His majestic
splendor with our spiritual eyes. (John 20:29) If you have not seen and recognized that splendor today, won't you make Jesus the Savior and Lord of your life
right now? Peter tells us that Jesus received honor and glory from the Father. God's majestic voice flowed
from Heaven when he declared, "This is My beloved Son; I am fully pleased with Him." (2 Peter 1:17) In the mighty and majestic Name of Jesus, we can go boldly before the throne of our majestic Heavenly Father.
(Hebrews 4:16). There we can find grace and mercy in time of need. There we can find deliverance from anything that binds us.
Though He is majestic and excellent, He has compassion on His creation. He rides across the heavens to help us in His
majestic splendor (Deuteronomy 33:26) He bends down and touches us at our point of need. (Psalm 116:2) Do you need a listening ear this morning. God is bending toward you. Do you need someone to listen who
can really do something about your situation? It is God who is ready to come to your aid. (Jeremiah 15:20) He has done it before and He'll do it again! God
is excellent and majestic in every way and He will be exalted. Jesus said that if the children did not cry
out in praise, the very rocks of the earth would do it. (Luke 19:40) Everything will eventually exalt the majesty of the Name of the Lord. One day every knee will
bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. He is majestic. He is the Son of God. (Romans 14:11) He is all powerful. (Jude 1:25) There is a worship chorus that says, "One day every tongue will confess He is Lord.
One day every knee will bow. But the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly seek Him now." The
One we need to seek now is the Son of the Living God. Let's praise Him for His majestic glory.
(Psalm 148:13) It is the glory of His Name. (Psalm 96:8) He has given that Name to His Son also. (John 20:31) We are privileged to bring the majestic Father and Son our worship this morning, coming to him clothed
in sacred garments. ("Come before Him clothed in sacred garments." - The Living Bible Psalm 29:2) We now share in the majesty of the Father. Our garments are now spotless if we have received
His son as our Savior. (Revelation 22:14) Before His mighty deliverance, we were covered with soiled garments. But now, we can have
garments that are white as snow. We have sacred garments because Jesus has purchased them for us with His
blood. He is the One who is God come in the flesh to deliver us from all ourselves and all of our enemies.
He has come in the strength and majesty of our Father. (Micah 5:2-5) His glory is higher than the Heavens. No wonder the Psalmist repeats in Psalm 8:9, "O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of Your Name fills the earth!" As we go about our day, let's
repeat it too. When we realize that His majesty does, indeed fill the earth, nothing else can effectively
get us down. When we're focused on that majesty, we can scale a wall and conquer multitudes. (Psalm 18:29) It's not only His Word, I've seen it done. When we're focused on that majesty, our
reality will be that we can do all things through Him as He strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13) As the worship song says, "Majesty, kingdom, authority, flow from His Throne unto
His own." Will you raise a song of praise with me this morning to His Majesty? Together, let's worship
His Majesty! MORNING MANNA - JULY 10, 2007 - ONE OF THOSE DAYS! Psalms 7:17 (New Living Translation) For
me, this has been one of those proverbial, "days." Ever had one of those? I'm sure you have. Maybe
today has been a "Hallelujah, anyway," day for you too. Maybe you've had to do what you could
do, despite resistance from the enemy and then just stand. (Ephesians 6:13) Is that how your day has been? Then, together, let's stand. Let's make sure we have all of our
spiritual armor on and then just stand. If you've had a day of ease, then rejoice and stand with those
who haven't had such an easy day. We all need to stand together, every day. Is anything too hard for our God?
(Jeremiah 32:27) The obvious answer is, "no!" (Luke 1:37) We need to gird up our faith this morning despite what circumstances look like. (Matthew 17:20) It just takes faith the size of a grain of mustard seed. We all need to sing praise to the name of the Lord
Most High. When the praises go up, the blessings will come down. Just P.U.S.H. Praise and pray
until something happens. We need to rejoice all the time - in times that look good and times that look bad. (Philippians 4:4) This and every day is truly a day that the Lord has made. We have the choice to rejoice - or not. (Psalm 118:24) God promised the Israelites who would follow Him great blessing. He promised that, if they were repentant,
He would rejoice over them and give them plenty in everything they put their hand to. Plenty seems to imply more than
enough - even extra. Why would He do that? So we can be a blessing to those around us. (Genesis 12:2) He promised them good in everything. He is a God who does not lie. (Numbers 23:19) He is always faithful. (Exodus 34:6) His principles are always true. (Romans 3:4) He will always bless those who call upon him. (2 Peter 1:2) His special favor and His peace will be upon us if we choose to stand even when we have, "one of those days. Are you tempted to sing a song of woe today? Let's change that song to a song of wonder and
praise. The Lord is just. He has all of our days counted out and planned. (Psalm 139:16) Do you want to confuse the enemy? Then, when you're having "one of those days,"
just burst forth singing praise. That's what the army of Judah did as they went to war under King Jehosaphat (2 Chronicles 20:22) King Jehosaphat knew that the enemy could not stand up against praise. He knew that God was in
the praises of His people. The enemy cannot stand against the presence of God. When there is praise, the
enemy gets confused. He runs. He is defeated. When we have "one of those days," we've
got to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7) Praise is a way of resistance. The Bible says the enemy will flee. The Psalmist said
he would praise God seven times a day. (Psalm 119:164) He was praising God this much because God's ways are just. Seven is God's number
of spiritual perfection, of completion. Seven times a day is just like saying, "praise without ceasing."
Indeed, we are to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) How can there be prayer without praise? If we are praying to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
there is much praise due. Just because of who He is. Look what Psalms 89:15-16 says in The Message. 15 (MSG) Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,
who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. 16 Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are,
what you do—they can't keep it quiet! Can you keep quiet this morning? We had better not.
Even if it is "one of those days." Especially if it's "one of those days!" There's no keeping a true follower of Jesus quiet. The blind man on the road
could have cowered when the crowds told him to be quiet as He called for Jesus. (Mark 10:48) But, he only shouted louder. There's a good reason for that. He had faith. He was still blind
but he knew that if he could get the attention of Jesus, he would not be blind any longer. (Mark 10:49-52) We can get the attention of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit this morning. We get His attention by praise and
by worship. By acknowledging His presence in our lives and thanking Him for everything He's done. (Philippians 4:6) Oh yes, there may be days that the circumstances scream at us to be quiet. There may be days that we look like
a fool for praising God in the midst of situations that look like they have no solution. But, there are "suddenly's"
in our lives and we are promised that we will not endure any temptation or trial that we cannot go through. (1 Corinthians 10:13) When God knows that we cannot go any further, He will make a way of escape. It will be so He can be glorified.
It will show us that we might make our plans but He will direct our steps. (Proverbs 16:9) Is God calling you to step out of the boat this morning into very high waves? (Matthew 14:29-30) Many these days are being called out of the boat. We must encourage one another not to look at the waves
but to keep our eyes on Jesus. He's the only One who can make our path smooth, even when we're in deep water.
(Isaiah 26:7) Is the heat turned up in your life this morning? Remember the three Israelite boys who were thrown into
the fire for worshipping God? (Daniel 3:13-18) The enemy turned the fire up seven times hotter than it was originally. (Daniel 3:19) Maybe that's the way it is in your life this morning. But, what did God do? He used what the enemy
meant for evil and turned it for good. (Genesis 50:20) Those boys were bound in ropes and placed in the fire in their flowing robes. They came out without a scent
of smoke on them but the ropes, the things that held them in bondage, were burned off! (Daniel 3:27) They still were dressed and ready to go, but not bound any longer. There was a fourth man in the fire.
(Daniel 3:25) Even Jesus. He's still the same today. He leads us as we walk on water and He uses the enemy's
fire to release us from our bondage. Is that not good enough reason to just begin to praise God? The victory
is ours. We may be going through but the key word is, through. (Isaiah 43:2) Whenever "one of those days" comes upon you or me, we need to remember that the key is to P.U.S.H.
Praise and pray until something happens. We're going through. We will make it. God has promised
and He will be with us all the way. (Romans 8:35-39) MORNING MANNA - JULY 9, 2007 - SKILLED WARRIORS AND THE LORD OF HOSTS 1 Chronicles 5:18 (New Living Translation) Are we skilled in battle? Or are we even
aware that we are in a war this morning? If things are going well for you and me, we may not be as aware of the war
that's going on but that doesn't change the fact that it is going on. (2 Corinthians 10:4) The battle for the souls of men and women, boys and girls, will rage until Jesus returns. (2 Corinthians 10:5) As soldiers of the cross, we cannot let our guard down. (Galatians 6:9) If circumstances are not so well, we may be more aware of the war going on around us but we may not be too skilled
at warfare. We may not even know much about the weapons of warfare. But, we need to learn how to use them.
As the battle heats up, we will need to stand firm and follow our Commander, the Lord of Hosts. He is the Lord of the
armies of Heaven and we are His soldiers here on earth. Sometimes we will suffer some hardship. Paul said
that to young Timothy. (2 Timothy 2:3) The power and the victory comes with endurance. The armies
of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were skilled in warfare. However, that was not the deciding factor in their victory.
Yes, our skill is important and necessary but it is God who has control over the victory. He helped them to
win the battle when they cried out to Him for help. (1 Chronicles 5:20) They trusted Him. Do you need help in your battle over something in your life today? What has the
enemy been trying to defeat you with? Sickness, a rocky marriage, financial difficulties, wavering faith, problems with
your children, an awful boss? There could be any number of things that you and I are fighting this morning. And,
there could be several at a time. God is fighting against our enemies whether we recognize it or not. (1 Chronicles 5:22) He did it for the armies of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh too. Cry out to God. Trust in Him just as the armies
of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh did. (2 Samuel 22:31) He will come to your aid. When we are obedient and trusting, God will hear us and fight for us. Our victories
are not by our might or power but by the power of His Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) We must fight the fight of faith but it is God who gives the victory. (1 Timothy 6:12) The armies of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were
skilled in the use of their weapons. We, too, have weapons for spiritual warfare today. We must use them
with the skill of the Holy Spirit. We always need to be aware, though, that we are not fighting people, but spiritual
rulers in high places. (Ephesians 6:12). We are the light and we are fighting the powers of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5) We have been given weapons by God that are effective in fighting the, many times, unseen enemy. We have
a shield. It's called faith. The enemy has darts that he sends our way but our shield of faith will stop them.
(Ephesians 6:16) Do we have our shields up? We have a sword. (Ephesians 6:17) It's called the Word of God. Are we wielding that sword today and every day? We also have an all-encompassing shield
around us - even God Himself. Are you aware that He is your shield this morning? There are probably some
pretty sharp and painful darts coming your way but you don't have to be hit. Hold up that shield of faith.
Trust that God has you hedged in and is surrounding you as a great Shield. (2 Samuel 2:23) Just as Jesus returned the Word of God to the enemy when He was tempted in the wilderness, we can use that
same sword of the spirit which He has passed on to us. It is His Word. Is His Word in our hearts this morning?
When something negative comes at you with a vengeance, can you or will you open your mouth and counteract it with
the Word of God which will not return void? (Isaiah 55:11) Can I and will I do the same? We can. (Philippians 4:13) God has given us everything we need to fight the enemy of our souls. It's our choice whether we will use
those weapons or not. We can choose to trust God, or not. God did help the armies of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh
to win the victory over all their enemies and He allowed them to take lots and lots of plunder. God is more powerful
than any of our enemies. He is faithful, even to a thousand generations. (Exodus 20:6) But, He will not go against our choices. Even after the armies of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh got such a great
victory, they still had a choice. They could keep on trusting God or they could let themselves be led astray.
Unfortunately, in this case, they chose the wrong thing. They began to worship the gods of those God had helped them
conquer. (1 Chronicles 5:25) You and I have a choice this morning too. God is always faithful. We have a choice to
be like Him. Is anything holding you back from being faithful to the One who supplies us with every spiritual weapon
we need and always brings us victory? God is looking for us to trust and obey both in the times of need and heavy
battle and in the times of victory and great blessing. Wherever you and I are this morning, let's decide
to trust Him and give Him glory both in the battle and in the victory. All the glory belongs to Him! His
love is a mighty weapon that keeps and protects us. He is the Lord of Hosts (Psalm 46:7 - The King James Version says, "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." )
and He is our Abba Father. (Romans 8:15) His shield around us is love. (Psalm 5:12) In the use of all of our spiritual weapons, God's love will give us skill in using them and bring us the
victory. MORNING MANNA - JULY 8, 2007 - MORNING PRAYER - ARE YOU EXPECTING? Psalms 5:3 (New Living Translation) What is the first thing you do in
the morning? Right when you open your eyes? What are your first thoughts? Prophesying about what Jesus
would think and say, Isaiah 50:4 says, "Morning by morning He (God) wakens me and opens my understanding to His will." Jesus
knew He would need to be filled each day. He would need to know how to speak to those who came along His
path. He would need God's wisdom. Is there something you need this morning? We all need wisdom
to deal with others in our lives. If Jesus needed it, how much more do we need it? God has wakened us
all this morning. Without that awakening, we would no longer be on this earth. (Acts 17:28) How thankful we should be for another day to get out of bed and do His will! (Lamentations 3:22-23) That, of course, does not mean that everything will be rosy in our lives. (John 16:33) We may have some difficulties but, if we have had our first thoughts on God as He awakened us, we will be able
to receive His wisdom for the trials that might come. We will have His wisdom to speak lovingly and wisely when
we answer that first telephone call or walk into school or the office. It was in the morning that the Israelites picked
up the manna in the desert. If they didn't get it in the morning, it would disappear and they would have nothing
to eat all day. (Exodus 16:21) During the night, the manna had come down with the dew. (Numbers 11:9) Isn't it wonderful that God gives his people sweet sleep and all the while, He's preparing their
breakfast? (Proverbs 3:24) It's His Word that we don't live by just the physical bread or food we eat. (Matthew 4:4) God, who supplies all of our needs, has given us bread from Heaven for our spiritual nourishment. (John 6:33) We now have, not just physical manna but we have Heavenly Manna - we have the same food the angels eat! (Psalm 78:24-25) We have God's Word to eat and we have His listening ear. We are to pray without ceasing. That is we need to talk to God constantly during the day. But, do you
think it's an accident that the morning might be the best time to bring our requests to Him? Before we have time
to get up and look at the circumstances which many times might cause us to doubt His provision? What are your requests
this morning? Like the Psalmist, let's take all of our requests to God right now. We may not have
had our first thoughts on Him when we woke up but we can start right now. He is listening. He hears our cries.
He will answer. He has set apart those who live according to His Word and He will answer. (Psalm 4:3) Is that what we're expecting? The Psalmist was absolutely certain that God had heard his prayer and
would answer. (Psalm 6:9) We can be certain too. The Psalmist prayed because he knew that the answer would come from the Lord.(Psalm 17:6) There is an expectancy in those who walk by faith that God does hear us and that He will answer. Are you expectant this morning? I am. I'm don't pretend to
know God's timing. I don't pretend to know His thoughts about my needs. I just know that He has promised
never to leave me or forsake me - or you either! (Hebrews 13:5) I know that Jesus told those who will truly follow Him that we could ask whatever we wanted to ask
and it would be done. This is not for our comfort. What we ask if we are truly followers of Jesus will be within
His will and according to His desires. He does that so that the Father will be glorified. (John 14:13) What are we expecting this morning? What are we requesting. Salvation for our loved ones? His Word
says that He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to eternal life. (2 Peter 3:9) Are we needing some kind of provision and asking expectantly? (Philippians 4:19) That is a legitimate request. He is certainly able and willing to give us everything we need when we seek Him
first. (Matthew 6:33) The first thing every morning when we open our eyes from sleep is a great time to seek Him - first.
Do you need wisdom? (James 1:5) That, too is a request that God desires to answer if we will just ask. What better time than first thing in
the morning to ask for wisdom to prioritize our day? Maybe we need healing. (Luke 6:19) We can touch the Father through Jesus this morning in prayer. Healing still flows from Heaven.
Whatever our request is, if we are following the Lord, He is able and willing to listen and answer. With God nothing
is impossible and all things are possible. (Luke 1:37, Mark 9:23) That's His Word. That's nourishing manna from Heaven. As my little grandson used to say when he
got excited about something, "Tan you beweeve it?!?" Translated that's, "Can you believe it?"
We can believe it. It's God's Word! MORNING MANNA - JULY 7, 2007 - NO VOICE MAIL Psalms 4:3 (New Living Translation) Is there any sure thing in this world today? Not much really. But the Psalmist
reminds us that there is something we can be sure of. We can be certain that God has set apart the godly for Himself.
One commentary describes the godly person as pious and benevolent. Merciful, feeling and tender-hearted. This
is in stark contrast to the ungodly fools described in Isaiah 32:6. These people spread lies about he Lord and deprive the hungry of food and the thirsty of drink.
The word, "godly," is translated, "saints" nineteen times in the King James Version. If we
have received Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives, then we have become new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17) All things have become new. We were once ungodly but now we have become godly. God says
that the ungodly shall perish. (Psalm 1:4 - The King James Version says, "The ungodly shall perish...) But, while we were weak
and ungodly, Jesus died for us. (Romans 5:6) We were once unrighteous but now we are filled with the righteousness of Christ. (Romans 5:18) We are now saints of God. We have been set free to be godly. 2 Corinthians 9:9 says that "Godly people give generously to the poor........." Are you a giver?
Have you received the salvation of God this morning, allowing you to be set free and born into righteous living?
If not, you can be sure that He wants you to - even right now. Today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2) Just open your heart, confess that you are needy because of your sin (Romans 3:23), and let the giver of Life come in today. (Revelation 3:20) If you have done that, then you have been changed from an ungodly person to a godly person!
You can be sure that God has set you aside for Himself. David, the
Psalmist, described himself as godly. Now we might wonder about that when we remember that he had an affair with Bathsheba.
(2 Samuel 11:5) He had Uriah murdered. (2 Samuel 11:15) His own family was dysfunctional. (2 Samuel 13:1-20, etc.) By his actions, we might hastily judge David. But then, we, as humans, are only looking on the outside.
God looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) David was a man after God's own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14) Yes, David did sin at times. And we will too. But, David's heart was crushed and broken
over his sin. (Psalm 51:17) He did not live in a pattern of sin. Because of David's desire to please God and worship Him, he
lived in close fellowship with Him. When he missed the mark, he was quick to go to God in repentance.
We need to do that too. He was assured of the fact that God would hear him if he called. This morning we, too,
can be assured of the fact that God will hear us when we call. The word, "hear," doesn't just mean
that God is aware of our call. It has deeper meaning. It has connotations of God understanding, considering and
really discerning what we are saying. Is there something this morning that you need help with? Just call
out to the God who hears you and understands what you are going through. Yes, we are set apart for God. Those words are music to our ears. It means we are severed from the world
and from the ungodly and put aside for God. He has distinguished us from the rest of the world and made us different.
His Word says we are a peculiar people. (Deuteronomy 14:2) We are holy because He has made us holy. We are his treasure! (Exodus 19:5) We are made and re-made wonderfully by Him and we are marvelous in His sight. He keeps
His treasure well-hidden in His treasure pouch . (1 Samuel 25:29) We are also to set ourselves apart for Him. (Leviticus 20:7) As we set aside days for worship and rest, it will remind us that the Lord has set us apart
as His holy and special people. (Ezekiel 20:12) God is good to give us reminders like that so we will remember that we were once sinners
but now our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus. We have been made right with God and set apart. The
Lord will answer when we call to Him. No pager. No receptionist. No e-mail.
No voice mail. Our call goes straight to the ear of God. He's never too busy to listen. He's awake
and ready to listen every hour of every day and every night. (Psalm 34:15, Psalm 121:4) What are you in need of this morning? You are special. That "specialness" is a gift of God.
(Ephesians 2:8) You are set apart. He wants to hear from you. (Jeremiah 33:3 - The King James Version says, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which
thou knowest not.") Just call on Him. He always answers! MORNING MANNA - JULY 6, 2007 - OUR SHIELD Psalms 3:3 (New Living Translation) As believers, you and I are hedged about. The word, "shield," in Psalm 3:3 comes from a Hebrew root word meaning, "to hedge about, i.e. (generally) protect - defend."
How's that for security in this world that sometimes feels so insecure? Not even the NSA could make us
as secure as the Lord does. He is our Shield! There are many references in the Psalms
that speak of God being our Shield. Psalm 7:10 portrays God as a Shield protecting those whose hearts are true and right. Are our hearts true and
right this morning. Is there any unconfessed sin taking place either in our attitude or actions? (Psalm 139:23) If so, we need to go to the Lord, confess it and get our hearts right again. Psalm 18:2 shows us God again being a Shield for us. He is not only our Shield. He is our rock, fortress
and salvation. He is not only our salvation. He is the strength of our salvation and our stronghold. Is
anyone feeling a little weak in their salvation this morning? God is your Shield to keep the fiery darts of the devil
from trying to extinguish the joy of your salvation. God is the strength of the salvation that comes from Him and
He is our stronghold when the enemy batters us from without. Psalm 18:30 encourages us by reminding us that God's ways are perfect and that all His promises are true. We can be assured
that He is our protection and our Shield. Psalm 28:7 says He's our Shield from every danger. We can, therefore, trust Him with all of our heart.
He will give us joy, even among tears and trials. He is the One who causes our hearts to sing because we know that He
works everything out for the good if we love Him and are doing what He has called us to do. (Romans 8:28) Shields must be very important to God since He has said He would be our Shield. He has a lot more to say about
them too! Who are you depending on this morning to protect you?
Another human being can only go so far. And nothing material can do the job. Only God can adequately help and
protect us. He does so by being our Shield. (Psalm 33:20) Psalm 59:11 reminds us once more that God is our Shield. Here the Psalmist is requesting that his enemies be shown the power
of that Shield. You may have some enemies out there. They're not human, even though the enemy uses willing
or unaware humans to carry out his plans. (Ephesians 6:12) Yes, God is our Shield and we can trust that the principalities and powers that come against us will find
themselves running into a Shield they cannot penetrate. The original word used in Psalm 84:11 for "protector," is, "shield." Our Shield is more than just a protector. He is our light.
He alone can give us the grace we need. Not only that, He gives us glory! Psalm 115:9-11 pretty much reiterates that there isn't a one of us who shouldn't be trusting the Lord as our Shield.
Are you trusting Him this morning? If our trust is in anything else, let's get our eyes back on our Shield. He
is our refuge and His Word is the source of our hope. (Psalm 119:114) By now, if we're not totally encouraged, the Psalmist leaves us with some final thoughts about our Shield.
He's our friend, our ally. He's on our side when we acknowledge Him as our Savior. He's our fortress.
He's our tower of safety. He's our deliverer. He will subdue all things under us. Psalm 144:2 Why will no weapon formed against us ultimately prosper? (Isaiah 54:17) Because our Shield is protecting us. He's got us hedged about with His goodness. He has spoken and
when He speaks, it is final. No wonder the Psalmist says, "Victory comes from you, O Lord....." (Psalm 3:8) Friends, we are protected this morning and always by God, Himself. He has not given us a spirit of fear but
of power, love and a sound and disciplined mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) The next time the enemy tempts us to fear, let's just point him to our Shield. God has us covered! MORNING MANNA - JULY 5, 2007 - REVERENT SERVICE Psalms 2:11 (Amplified Bible) Psalm 2:11, in context, is for the leaders of the world. It is just as applicable, or more so, today as it was
in the time this psalm was written. If we are believers, we have an awesome responsibility to pray for the leaders of
our own country as well as the rest of the world. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) This is not only for their good but for our own. It is so we can lead peaceful lives, able to follow the ways
of the Lord. Serving the Lord with reverence and worshiping Him is not an option. It's a necessity.
Not only for leaders, but for us as individuals. Because we serve a mighty God, we can rejoice in serving Him, knowing
that the victory is ours. (1 John 5:4) We've read the end of "His-story." We know the outcome. Are we serving God today? (Romans 7:6) Are we walking in the Spirit? (Galatians 5:25) Are we praying, even in constant prayer? (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Are some of those prayers for the leaders of this world? All of these things are to be done with
great reverence. The Psalmist asks, "Why are the nations so angry?" Just as in that time, today,
many nations are angry. There is not much reverence for God. There are wars and rumors of wars everywhere we look.
Jesus said this would happen. (Mark 13:7) But, nations are made up of people. You and I are some of those people. Do we harbor anger?
Maybe because we have been hurt? Maybe because our expectations of life have not come to pass? Maybe because
we have lost a loved one to divorce or death? There are thousands of reasons why we might be angry and just as many
ways, or more, to rationalize why we should stay that way. But anger does not solve anything. It only grows and
grows until it forms a root of bitterness. (Hebrews 12:15) It gives the devil exactly what he wants. A way to get his foot in the door. When he obtains a foothold,
it will turn into a stronghold if we don't let go of our anger. That root of bitterness is a strong root and once
it is imbedded, it is hard and painful to uproot. Righteous anger is one thing. Yes, we should be angry at the
things God is angry with such as oppression, abuse, lying, murder, etc. But any other anger is destructive, both to
ourselves, our families, our churches, and society in general. We should not hold onto anger for a day and never over
night. (Ephesians 4:26, Psalm 4:4) When anger controls us, God cannot. We are serving another master at that point. What we should do as individuals and as nations is to rejoice. Yet, that rejoicing should also be done with
reverential fear and with a spirit of worship. God is sovereign. It is His will that we should rejoice but
He is still God and He still demands to be revered and respected. Are we rejoicing this morning despite what things
look like around us? (Philippians 4:4) We should be just because God is God. He has promised to be with us even to the end of this age.
(Matthew 28:20) He has promised that He will supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19) He has promised that nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:35-39) We have countless reasons to rejoice. We are children of the King! That rejoicing should be coupled with
great awe because God is God. He is our Abba Father but He is still King. As individuals, we should stand in awe
and spend times of stillness in His presence. (Psalm 5:7) All the while rejoicing. We need to pray that whole nations will turn to the Lord and stand in awe of Him, acknowledging
Him as the King of Kings. (Psalm 33:8) This morning is a good time to purpose, or renew our purpose, to serve Him with reverence, stand before Him in awe
and rejoice always. It's a good time to begin a new wave of prayer for our leaders and for those in our lives who
don't realize the need for God in their lives. May it be that we come to know the scriptures in a deeper way
today and that we know more fully the power of the awesome God we serve. (Matthew 22:29) Because of our prayers and example, may it be that individuals and nations will cease from their anger and
quit plotting against the Lord. (Psalm 2:2) Rejoicing will be found in those individuals and nations that submit to Jesus and take refuge in the Father.
(Psalm 2:12) Will those individuals be you and me. Will our nation lead the way? (Psalm 33:12) Will we serve God reverently? If so, we will be truly blessed. MORNING MANNA - JULY 4, 2007 - WALKING, STANDING AND SITTING Psalms 1:1 (King James Version) Where
are you and I walking this morning? Hopefully, because we're here together, we are walking on paths that are bright.
Paths that lead to Godliness because His Word is lighting our way. (Psalm 119:105) We know that we will be blessed greatly if we do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. That is, if we do not
take the advice of those who do not have God in their lives. There is a need for counsel. The Word says that we
should seek counsel. (Proverbs 15:22) Many counselors will bring success. That is, if the counsel is rooted in the Word of God. The ungodly
are merely men and women who have no time or place in their lives for God. They come in all forms - doctors, lawyers,
car mechanics, psychologists, senators, teachers, etc. If we are looking to those who have no time for God, we will
certainly lose out on the blessings that are promised to the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. That
word, "blessed," is used in the plural in Psalm 1:1. One commentary suggests that, because it is in the plural, it means many varied blessings. In any case, it is
good to be blessed. To have God's favor. In fact, without it, we are most miserable. The blessed man does not stand in the way of sinners either. Sinners may be standing today but they don't
stand a chance at the judgment. There, they will not stand. Notice that the first phrase says, "walk."
When we are walking we are still moving. We may be hearing the ungodly, but at least we're not staying there.
We're moving on. But, if we stand where sinners are standing, we are on very dangerous ground. Now we're
standing. We're not moving. Now, we're not just among the ungodly who have no time for God. We're
among those who have decided to turn from His ways. Those who have decided to go ahead and miss the mark. (Romans 6:23) What is going to happen when we stop moving and stand in a crowd of sinners? Those who don't care to even
try to live in God's ways and also don't have any time for Him? Of course! We are going to be greatly
tempted. We've stopped walking too. We're standing still. When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar's
wife, he didn't just stand there and object. He ran! (Genesis 39:12) Standing where sinners stand will always leave us totally vulnerable to follow their ways. Where are you
standing this morning? Remember that old song, "Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my Savor.
Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God." Jesus said that, by standing firm, we
would win our souls. (Luke 21:19) We may be persecuted, especially if we find ourselves among sinners. So we need not stay there but run to Jesus
and stand firm in His Word and on His promises. The third phrase
in Psalm 1:1 indicates that the blessed man does not sit in the seat of the scornful. Now, if we're sitting, we're
certainly not moving! In fact, it appears that we have set up camp and are comfortable. We've slid down the
slippery slope by walking with the ungodly, standing with the sinners, and now we're at the bottom of the pit reclining.
It may feel good for a season but it is really the pit of hell. The person who sits in the seat of the scornful has
not only tolerated the ungodly and participated in the sin of those who don't care to follow God's laws. They
are now really making a mockery of God and His ways. The blessed man will never sit down and stay where the scornful
are. Many are scornful today. There are those who say that God is dead or that He doesn't exist. There
are those who say that Jesus never lived or that He was just a good man. (1 John 4:3) Many don't believe Jesus will return. (2 Peter 3:9) Many think they can do whatever they want and mock God, then escape His judgment. (Romans 2:1 - The American Standard Version says, "Those who sin cannot excuse themselves, or escape the judgment of God...")
God will not be mocked. (Galatians 6:7) The scornful will reap scorn upon themselves. But, the man who stays away from the ungodly, the sinner
and the scornful will reap blessings. It's not a hard choice! Yet, some will still choose the slippery
slope and the pit at the bottom. This morning, let's choose the blessed way. Let's pray for those
who have not seen the way of blessing yet. If we choose to walk with God, standing on His promises, and remember
that we are seated with Him in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), we will prosper. Psalm 1:3 says we will be like a tree planted near the water. We will flourish and be fruitful in season. Our leaves
will never wilt or fade. Today, may it be that we are found celebrating the freedom to walk in God's blessing.
The freedom to walk away from ungodliness, sin and scorn. Has the Son of God set you free to do this? If
so, you are free indeed. (John 8:36) MORNING MANNA - JULY 3, 2007 - WEEPING IN REPENTANCE 2 Kings 22:18-20 (New Living Translation) King
Josiah, of Judah, was a king that pleased the Lord in all he did. (2 Kings 23:25) If you are a young person reading
this, be encouraged and go for everything the Lord has put in your heart. King Josiah began to reign when he was eight
years old! (2 Kings 22:1) He reigned for thirty-one years. He followed God all of that time and did great
things to rid the society of those things that were offensive to God. If you're not so young and you're reading
this, it's never too late to step out and follow what God has put in your heart. King Josiah lived in a time when
people had turned away from God. We have the same challenge. Instead of caving in and going along with the ungodly
flow, Josiah followed the Lord's ways and changed things. We can and must do that too. When we search for God and want to follow His ways, we will find Him and He will give us revelation knowledge of
His will. (Jeremiah 29:13) When we diligently seek Him, there will be a reward. He will show us His ways and lead
us in them. (Proverbs 8:17, Hebrews 11:6) Josiah was rewarded when he sent a scribe to the Temple of the
Lord to take care of some financial matters. The scribe, Shaphan, met with the high priest, Hilkiah and learned that
Hilkiah had found a book within the Temple. It was the book of God's law. (2 Kings 22:8) Shaphan read
it and then went and read it to King Josiah. As Josiah heard it being read, he tore his clothes. Desperation gripped
him. (2 Kings 22:11) He was suddenly aware that the people had not been following God's law. In this
age of tolerance and political correctness, could it be that we need to begin to be distraught and humble ourselves before
God as Josiah began to do when he realized just how far people had slipped from following the Lord? Have we all been
really doing what the Bible says to do? (2 Kings 22:13) Josiah inquired for a word from God about all that was
written in the book he was given. A prophetess delivered the word. God would surely destroy the land because the
people had not repented. But, since Josiah, had humbly repented, he would not live to see the destruction. Josiah
had wept before the Lord in repentance. How many of us are ready to weep for our country in repentance this morning?
We all know that such things as murder, abortion, homosexuality, etc. are on the rise in our society. We know that these
things are being accepted and overlooked many times. We also know that God said that no such things should be done or
even mentioned. (Revelation 21:8, Ephesians 5:12) Godly
sorrow and repentance must begin with God's people. He said, "If my people....." We must be the
ones to humble ourselves and pray, turn from our wicked ways and seek God's face. (2 Chronicles 7:14) If we
want healing in our land, we must be the first to humble ourselves before the Lord just as King Josiah did. We must
be the ones who will make a difference and lead by example. Judgment will begin in the house of God. That is,
it will begin among us. (1 Peter 4:17) Josiah, by his humility and repentance, postponed judgment on his land.
Will we, God's people, cry out to Him today, asking that He forgive us and turn our people back to Him once again?
Then, will we be diligent to elect leaders that honor and serve God? Josiah, after reading God's Word, gathered
all the leaders and the people and read the Word to them. (2 Kings 23:1-3) They all renewed their covenant with
God. Can you imagine what it would be like if all the people in this country heard and did the Word of God? All
the abortion clinics, the porn shops, etc. would close their doors. The drug dealers would be saved and get real jobs.
Women could feel safe once again if they needed to go out alone. Our children would be safe in their schools. The churches
would be full. The whole gospel would be preached. People would be saved, healed and delivered! Joy would
abound. Depression would cease. Can you even imagine it? It all starts with one person, then another, then
another, humbling themselves before God and weeping in His presence because we have not been following His Word. Is
God speaking to you today to join in? Our weeping may last for a night but God's joy will follow. (Psalm 30:5)
MORNING MANNA - JULY 2, 2007 - WHERE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE? 2 Kings 18:19 (New Living Translation) Are you confident this morning? If so, where does your confidence come from? We hear a lot today about
low self-esteem and low self-confidence. But, do you think that is really the problem? Or, is it that we trust
in ourselves or something other than God and then get discouraged because our confidence is dashed to bits when the first
sign of trouble comes along? The great King of Assyria sent a message to King Hezekiah of Judah. It was a very
threatening message. A message that was designed to destroy Hezekiah's confidence. But, it didn't work.
That's because Hezekiah's confidence was not in himself or in anything else but the Lord. The Bible says that
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord. (2 Kings 18:19) The enemy
will send his messages to you and me through others too. He did it in Hezekiah's time and he still does it.
The last thing he wants is for us to put our confidence in the Lord. He knows maybe even better than we do that you
can't fight against God. He was the one who was cast from Heaven for rebelling against God. Getting thrown
from Heaven to earth has to be a pretty hard fall! (Isaiah 14:12) Satan knows that if our confidence is in ourselves
or in our money or our position or in our retirement fund or even in our talent, he can easily bring us down. Our confidence
must be in our God. It is the Lord who is our Shepherd. We are as sheep in a pasture. Sheep need a shepherd
to keep them safe. We may not like it that God likens us to sheep - pretty dumb creatures. Yet, compared to God,
we're not all that much! (Isaiah 55:9) Even though God created us from the dust of the earth, we're not
just dirt either. We're made in His image. Our confidence comes from the fact that we're so wonderfully
made. Complex and intricate - even individually unique, yet in God's image. (Genesis 1:26) Our very
breath comes from Him. (Genesis 2:7) It is only in God that we live or move or stay alive. (Acts 17:28)
Our confidence must be in the One who made us in such a fabulous way. (Psalm 139:14) The Message says "No, we neither
make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and the saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join
him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." Thats from
the book of Hebrews, the 9th chapter and the 15th verse. Since we have not made ourselves and we cannot save ourselves, our
confidence must be in the One who made us and the only One who can save us - amen? When the enemy comes at us through people and circumstances, we need to take confidence in the fact that God has
promised to fight our battles for us. Hezekiah was not afraid of the evil King Sennacherib of Assyria even though Assyria
was pretty much undefeated in terms of military victory. King Hezekiah looked beyond statistics and what he saw in the
natural. He encouraged the people to have confidence in God. He assured them that God was with them to help them
and to fight their battles. Sennacherib may have had a strong arm of flesh but God's arm is stronger than any arm
of flesh! (2 Chronicles 32:8) Are you feeling a little low on self-confidence this morning? Is there something
other than God in your life that has kept your confidence up but now it looks as if it is failing? Is there an enemy
in your life that is threatening you like Sennacherib threatened Hezekiah, trying to get you to stop trusting in God?
Don't believe that deception! God is still the same today as He was in Hezekiah's day. He'll still
be the same tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8) He is our strong tower. (Proverbs 18:10) When we are threatened by
anything, we must put all of our confidence in Him. It is only when we run to Him that we are safe. Psalm 118:8-9 lets
us know that our confidence must be in the Lord. We must love people but we cannot put our trust in them. We must
pray for our leaders but our confidence must remain in God. (1 Timothy 2:2) Psalm 62 tells us of how David,
when he was troubled by many enemies, silently trusted in God. He encourages us to do the same. What is in your
life today that threatens you, that tries to steal your confidence? I have plenty in my life. If we're not
getting any resistance from the enemy, we probably are not much of a threat to him. He knows his time is short.
He would love to steal the confidence that we have in our Lord. He knows his destiny and he wants to take as many with
him as possible. There is a battle going on right this minute for your soul, for mine and for all those around us.
Where is our confidence? Psalm 46 helps me remember that God is my refuge and strength. A very present help in
trouble. These are certainly times of trouble. Will you place your confidence in God right now? God told
His people long ago that in quietness and confidence they would find their strength. The only trouble is that they would
not have any of that. (Isaiah 30:15) Today, you and I still have the choice to accept God's offer. We
can quiet ourselves in Him and have confidence in Him. We can gain His strength or we can be like the people of Israel
that rejected that merciful offer. What will it be. Where is your confidence? MORNING MANNA - JULY 1, 2007 - DON'T SHRINK BACK! Acts 20:20-21 (New Living Translation) Today
we live in a world that is insistent on tolerance. Insistent on being politically correct. Insistent on being
seeker-friendly to the point of watering down the precious and very necessary gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul lived
in a similar day. Today, we here in America, don't get put in prison because we deliver the whole gospel
to people. But, Paul took that chance every time he delivered the gospel message. The thing is, he never
shrank back from telling the truth, the whole truth, because of God. And, because of his love for people. Jesus
didn't either. The very first thing Jesus preached on when He started His ministry after coming out of the
wilderness where He was tempted by the devil was - - repentance. (Matthew 4:17 - the King James Version says, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.") What does it mean to repent? Is it just that we need to be sorry for wrong deeds or attitudes. Not
quite. There is a type of sorrow that does no good at all. (2 Corinthians 7:10) We can be sorry because we've been caught in a fault. That's not productive at all. Only the
Godly type of sorrow that makes us take action will have a lasting effect on our life. Then our sin will be removed
from us. That sort of repentance requires deep thought and drastic action. It means that we have turned one hundred
and eighty degrees the other way from our sinful acts and attitudes. It is a choice. It comes from disciplining
our mind according to the word of God. (Romans 12:2) Just being sorry because we get caught only produces death in us. It only causes us to think in terms of
how we might do the very same thing again without getting caught the next time. When that happens, a pattern of
sin becomes prevalent in our lives tearing our hearts away from God. The Word of God says that those
who make habit of sinning never really knew God or understood who He is. (1 John 3:6) When we really understand who God is and when we have received Jesus as our Savior, shouldn't it be
that we want to do those things and have thoughts that reflect the change in our lives? In Matthew 3:8, Jesus tells us that the fruit of our lives needs to show that we have truly repented. How are we doing in that
area this morning? Luke 3:8 lets us know that we cannot trust in any "thing" or anyone else to keep us safe from the wrath of God.
Just because your father was a preacher, that will not keep you safe. Just because your grandmother prays all the
time, or your mother works in the church, means nothing. We are all called as individuals to be responsible for
our own sin. (2 Chronicles 25:4) The only way God can take it from us is if we agree with Him that we have sinned and then let the blood of Jesus wash
us clean of that sin. We can hide sin from those around us but we can't hide anything from God. Confession
and repentance is the only way. If you have not repented of your sins and received Jesus as Savior, won't you do
it right now? Then, just receive His forgiveness. If we already have received Jesus, quick repentance
is necessary when we slip and miss the mark. (1 John 2:1) What about encouraging others to repent? It's not
a very popular message today. Even preachers in the pulpit may shy away from preaching repentance. But Paul
did not shrink back from it. He preached it in public and in the homes where he visited and imparted the
Word of God. It's all well and so good that we preach and encourage one another with how much Jesus loves us.
He does! (John 3:16) But, it's not a wishy-washy, sentimental kind of love. It's tender, but it's also tough. The
first thing Jesus preached was repentance. He told us we needed to make a choice. He was not sent to condemn us.
(John 3:17) He was sent to bring conviction upon our hearts to receive the gift of salvation. Receiving that gift requires
that we make a decision. A choice. We take what He gives. We give Him what we no longer need - our sin.
When we give it up, we don't need to take it back again by going back to our old thought patterns, attitudes, and
actions. No, we have now chosen to live right, walk right and do right. Before Jesus told the crowds of His
love for them, He instructed them to repent. This instruction was not a hard-hearted command. It was because
He loved us. He knew that God could not look upon sin. He came to save us from standing before God in
a sinful state. All of our actions stem from our thoughts, even from childhood. If you are a parent, you know
that children are curious by nature. Things like knobs on stoves fascinate them. Just because they are fascinated,
you don't let them turn the knobs and release the gas or turn on the electric burner. Why, because you love them!
At first they may think you are an awful "meany" because you've told them to turn the other way and stay
away from the stove. When they are older, they will realize that you loved them enough to tell them the truth.
You loved them enough to turn them from something that could greatly harm or even kill them. How much do we love
those around us today - even our family members? Enough to pass along the first message Jesus began to give
the world? Repent? God spoke to Ezekiel and told him to be a watchman over Israel. (Ezekiel 3:16-21) What was the message of God through Ezekiel? Repentance. I have to ask myself this morning just how
much I love those around me. With the days getting worse and worse - with political correctness becoming
more and more popular - when the use of the Name of Jesus is being frowned upon in public and even in some churches,
is the authentic love of God flowing through me? Am I being a watchman for my loved ones and friends? Am I, in
love, talking about and showing a lifestyle of repentance? Or, am I just making others feel good with my words and letting
them walk right into Hell? What reward awaits me? Ezekiel was told he would not only save the lives of others
but save his own life by preaching repentance. Of course, everyone will not heed the message. But, is it not our
responsibility to preach the whole gospel? The Bible says that we have all sinned and fallen short of the
glory of god. (Romans 3:23) It also says that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) If we follow Jesus's example of love, the very first thing we preach will be repentance! Lives
emptied of sin can then be filled with the gift of God - eternal life! Paul did not shrink back from delivering
this message - will we? Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here Enter content here |
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