Manna for Your Morning

Continue to have faith and do what you know is right. Some people have rejected this, and their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:19 (NCV) Continue to do what you know is the right thing to do and your faith will not end up being shipwrecked. Keep the faith and stay on the course given to you from above. Love, Jackie

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT) Let us find strength in the wonderful love God has shown to us to do good deeds and speak kind, positive words to others. And may we comfort those who are troubled with the same comfort we have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:4). Love, Jackie

For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 (NLT) Keep your eyes open and stay alert so you will not fall prey to any of Satan's schemes. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10) and he is always looking for someone to devour. Walk as children of the light, exercising faith and love and holding onto the hope of salvation. Love, Jackie

God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. And you will joyfully give thanks to the Father who has made you able to have a share in all that he has prepared for his people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:11-12 (NCV) Almighty God strengthens us with His own great power to help us patiently endure the troubles that come our way. This is the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Surely, His divine power working in us will enable us to do all that we are called to. Be confident that victory is yours with God's all-surpassing power at work in you. Love, Jackie

Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows; laughter will spill through the doors. Things will get better and better. Depression days are over. They'll thrive, they'll flourish. The days of contempt will be over. Jeremiah 30:18 (The Message) I pray that your thanksgivings to God be so many that they pour out of your windows, not just today, but everyday. See to it that laughter continually spill through your doors. Declare that the days of depression are over and things will get better and better for you and your household. The mirrors in your home shall reflect nothing but the joy in your heart. May you thrive and flourish in your body, soul and spirit. I love you all with the love of Christ Jesus. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day! Amen. Love and Peace to you, Jackie

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. Ephesians 4:29 (NCV) Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God (Ephesians 5:4, NLT). As you spend time with family and friends remember to speak encouraging words that will build them up and make them stronger. May the words you speak give honor and glory to God. Amen. Love, Jackie

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) Remember to thank God for all He has done in your life. Think about how far He has brought you and all the mess He has seen you through. God is a good God and He is worthy of all our praise. When we take our eyes off of what we don't have and turn our attention to all God has provided, our hearts and minds will be filled with the precious peace of God. Love, Jackie

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 (NLT) The Lord Jesus took on the very nature of a servant (Philippians 2:7). Let us be eager to serve others. Galatians 6:10 (NCV) says, " Whenever we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. " We are blessed to be a blessing, so see what kind act you can pass on today and touch the world with the love of God. Love, Jackie

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:7-9 (NLT) Never get tired of doing what is good. Live to please the Spirit and you will reap many blessings. The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). Instead of following the desires of your sinful nature, yield to the Holy Spirit who is at work in you. Love, Jackie

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it . 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 (The Message ) The Apostle Paul instructs believers to make sure we are solid in the faith. Are you walking in love? In John 13:35, Jesus said, " By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. " We are also called to love God with all our hearts and to love are neighbors as we love ourselves. Are you holding onto any grudges? Colossians 3:13 says, " Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. " Are you double-minded and unstable? James 1:6 says, those who doubt are like the waves of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. We must believe God and His Word. Give yourself a check up. Love, Jacki

When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:5-6 (NLT) Are you faced with conflict from every direction? If battles rage around you and your heart is fearful, be steadfast. I reassure you, God comforts the downcast. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3). He lovingly encourages the discouraged. God defends those who are weak. He is your strength and your support. Fall into the arms of God and He will give you rest. Love, Jackie

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. Psalm 112:4-8 (NIV) In our darkest days, we have the light of God showing us the way through. Have no fear of bad news. Let God's Word be the final authority in your life. Keep trusting in the LORD and you will be triumphant over those who are against you. Praise the LORD. Love, Jackie

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (NLT) Because we trust in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can be fully confident of God's ability to work in us and through us. Let us not think we can accomplish anything of value in our own strength. God enables us to do all that He has purposed for us and only that will last. Know that He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). Amen. Love, Jackie

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT) Be on guard and alert at all times because our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). We must be like a sentry, guarding our hearts and minds with wisdom. To survive the battles we need to be strong and stand firm in the faith, knowing that God will lead us to victory. Amen. Love, Jackie

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NLT) Jesus instructs us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31). Love does not demand its own way, instead it serves others. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Forget the injustices and focus on love. Faith, hope and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. May we share the love of God to all who come our way. Love, Jackie

God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So you should always clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NCV) Yesterday, in my haste to leave the house, I forgot to put on patience. According to my schedule, I could run some errands and head for home in 30 minutes. But God had a different timetable. While stuck in traffic on Interstate 15 for more than 30 minutes, I kept looking at my watch and wondering when traffic was going to start moving. If I had remembered to clothe myself in patience, I would have used that time to pray for those involved in the accident and their families. I would have thanked God for keeping me and my family safe, and my spirit would have been full of peace. Once I made it to a bookstore, I ran into a dear friend I hadn't seen in months. Then, I realized if things had flowed according to my schedule, I would have missed this blessing. Next time you're in a jam, remember you are e

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT) Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1). When the hurdles seem too high, remember we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). This race is not one of speed, but of perseverance. Those who keep the faith until they cross the finish line win. Keep pressing on toward the heavenly prize of spending eternity in the presence of Almighty God, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). Glory hallelujah! Love, Jackie

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! Isaiah 64:4 (NLT) Since the world began, no one has seen a God besides our heavenly Father, who works for those who wait upon Him. Our great God gives freedom to the captive. He lifts the heads of those who are bowed down. He heals the sick and gives strength to the weak. Only our mighty God restores our souls and sheds light on those in darkness. In place of death, He gives us eternal life. Praise his holy name. Love, Jackie

The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling," your love, God, took hold and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up. Psalm 94:18-19 (The Message) If we call on the LORD when it feels like we are about to fall, His love will hold us up. If we go to God when we are upset, He will bring peace to our souls and fill us with His joy. Love, Jackie

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT) As we renew our minds with the Word of God, He transforms us into a new person from the inside out. Instead of being caught up in the customs of this dark world, we stand out as children of the light, who shine with the love and joy of our heavenly Father. Instead of being worried and stressed out like the world, our hearts will be full of peace as we patiently wait for God to show us His good, pleasing and perfect will. Love, Jackie

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, Psalm 92:1-2 (NKJ) Give thanks to the LORD and sing praises to His name. He is worthy of all praise and honor. Declare His lovingkindness for waking you up this morning. Proclaim His faithfulness at night for getting you through another day. Love, Jackie

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJ) No matter what we go through in this life, when we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and stay focused on fulfilling His purpose, He will work all things together for good. All of our experiences come together piece by piece and fit into God's master plan. Sometimes we wonder "why?" At those times we must learn to trust our heavenly Father and know that it will all come together for good. Love, Jackie

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God, "I'll get you out of any trouble. I'll give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times; I'll rescue you, then throw you a party. I'll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!" Psalm 91:14-16 (The Message) Hold on to God. In His mighty hands, we are in the best of care. He is beside us in good times and bad. He will deliver us from all of our troubles. Get to know God and trust Him. He will honor you with a long, satisfying life and show you His salvation. Love, Jackie

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT) Forget the past and focus on what lies ahead. When the winds of adversity hit you in the face and the stormy waters beat against your back, keep pressing on. When you feel the flames from the furnace of affliction, press on. Look to the future. God has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). Love, Jackie

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:1-4 (NLT) May we live in the shelter of the Most High God and rest in His shadow. He alone, is our place of safety. As we abide in Him, He rescues us from the snares of the enemy and protects us from deadly diseases. Almighty God covers us and gives us shelter. What a loving Father we have in the Most High God. Let us not take off on our own, like the prodigal son, but dwell with Him all our days. Love, Jackie

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) Let us rejoice in spite of the things we suffer because the challenges we go through in this life teach us how to endure, they strengthen our character and produce hope. And our hope will not be disappointed because God loves us and He leads us to a triumphant victory. Love, Jackie

The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, "But those who are right with God will live by trusting in him." Romans 1:17 (NCV) Don't believe the lies that Satan puts in front of your eyes or that you hear with your ears. Trust the One you cannot see, the One who cherishes you and gives you new compassions every morning. Trust the One who came that we may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows (John 10:10 Amp). Live a life of peace and joy knowing that God is with you and He is working for your good. Love, Jackie

We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. Acts 27:18-20 (NIV) When the storm continues to rage and you cannot see a glimmer or light, do not give up. Keep your hope alive, the storm will pass. Trust God and He will come to your rescue. Let us heed the words the Apostle Paul spoke to those on the ship with him, " Keep up your courage, for I have faith in God... " (Acts 27:25). Love, Jackie

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. Proverbs 11:25 (The Message) Since we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, let us tend to the needs of others, providing help whenever possible. Feed the hungry, give a drink to those who thirst and speak a word of encouragement to the depressed. God has blessed us so we can be a blessing to others. Amen. Love, Jackie

I don't care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God's grace. Acts 20:24 (NCV) We must take our eyes off of ourselves because it's not about us. It's all about Him, our wonderful Creator. The most important thing is for us to complete the mission that He has given each one of us. Everyone is created with a divine purpose. There is a reason why God knit you together in your mother's womb and put the breath of life in you. Let us be like the Apostle Paul and fight the good fight, keep the faith and complete our God-given mission. Love, Jackie