Manna for Your Morning

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,  — Psalm 107:1-2 (NIV) Oh, give thanks to the LORD. He is good, all the time! His love goes on and on, it never runs out on us. If God has redeemed you from the hand of the enemy, share your story with others. It will encourage their spirits and strengthen their faith to hear of the wondrous works of our faithful Father.

The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.  — Psalm 37:18-19 (NIV ) The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is right, and who speaks the truth from their heart, abide under the LORD's care. They will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. When disaster strikes, they do not wither, instead they grow stronger and stronger. Even though the world may experience lack and famine, God's children will have more than enough. Hallelujah!

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.  — Psalm 105:1-4 (NIV) When you don't know what to do, look to the LORD and His strength. He is exactly what you need in any and every situation. He will lead, guide and strengthen you. Whatever mountain stands before you, speak to it and say, “my heavenly Father is bigger, and more powerful. Nothing can stand against my mighty God.” Continually give thanks to the LORD for all of His wondrous works!

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus . — Galatians 3:26 (NKJV) When we invited Jesus into our hearts, we received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15-16). We are not outsiders looking in. We BELONG to the family of God. We are members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19) and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Don't let the enemy steal your identity by saying you are anything less!

“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” — 2 Samuel 9:11 (NKJV) When King David inquired about who was left of the house of Saul, Mephibosheth was hiding out in Lo Debar. King David sent for him and had him continually eat at his table. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, “ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ” Are you hiding out, when you have been called to dine with the King of kings and the Lord of lords?

I will sing to the  LORD  throughout my life. I will make music to praise my God as long as I live. May my thoughts be pleasing to him. I will find joy in the LORD.  — Psalm 104:33-34 (GW) Let us sing to the LORD and praise our God as long as we have the breath of life. As we meditate on His Word and renew our minds, our thoughts will be pleasing to our heavenly Father. He fills us with joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11). May we rejoice in the Lord always!

God’s love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.  — Psalm 103:17-18 (The Message) God's love is forever and always. He is not a deserter. Our heavenly Father never abandons us, or runs out on us. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16). Don't let your heart get out of alignment with the love of God.

So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all . — 1 Samuel 30:18-19 (NKJV) In the midst of his grief and loss, David inquired of the LORD. And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” As we encounter various trials, may we remember to always inquire of the LORD. He is a mighty God of restoration and He has given us the victory!

David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God. — 1 Samuel 30:6 (AMP) When David and his men returned home from battle, their city was burned with fire, and their wives and children had been taken captive. David and his men wept, until they could weep no more (1 Samuel 30:4). When we are greatly distressed or bitterly grieved over our losses, we need to encourage and strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God. He renews our strength and encourages our hearts.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;  — Psalm 103:8-11 (NIV) As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is the LORD's unfailing love for those who reverence and fear Him. And I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revel in His love!

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. — John 10:10 (NKJV) First, we have to remember that we have an enemy who prowls about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). If we stay alert and do not allow him to distract us in our walk with our heavenly Father, we will experience the more abundant life Jesus came to give us. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). In Jesus, we experience grace and more grace, our cups overflow with blessings. We have a love that never ends, and never fails. Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the LORD;     with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD;     may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins     and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death     and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things.     My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!  — Psalms 103:1-5 (NLT) Offer joyful praises to the LORD with all of your being. Remember all the wonderful ways the LORD has blessed you. We are crowned with His lovingkindness and tender mercies, and wrapped in His goodness. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.  — Psalm 100:4-5 (NIV) The LORD is good! And He is good to all; He showers compassion on all his creation (Psalm 145:9). The Message versions says, “for God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love...” (Psalm 100:5). May we enter His gates, with a sacrifice of thanksgiving, acknowledging that Jesus paid the price for us. He is the ultimate sacrifice. Enter His courts with a song of praise. For our God is good to us, all the time!

For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.  — Psalm 97:9-12 (NIV) The LORD preserves the lives of His saints and delivers us from the hand of our enemies. Praise His holy name! He causes His light and joy to shine on those who are upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD!

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. — Ephesians 2:10 (AMP) When we stay on the path God shows us, we can remain in peace knowing that He has planned and prepared the way for us. No matter how many obstacles you encounter, be confident that our heavenly Father has already navigated a way over or through each one. As long as we abide in Christ, we are living the good life, which God prearranged and made ready for us to live. Glory Hallelujah!

“I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness. A woman has pain when her time to give birth comes. But after the child is born, she doesn’t remember the pain anymore because she’s happy that a child has been brought into the world.” — John 16:20-21 (GW) Just as a woman must go through the painful process of labor, in order to deliver a baby, we will experience much travail, in order to give birth to the dreams God has put in our hearts. Just remember, the pain is part of the process that must be endured if we are to get to our desired destination. I encourage you to see your dreams through to the end! Fulfill the God-given purpose for which you were created.

Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.  — Jeremiah 2:32 (NKJV) Have you forgotten your God, days without number? Do you go days without giving God a thought? When we turn aside from following the LORD, we go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing (1 Samuel 12:21). Does Jesus ever have preeminence in your life? He is more important than football games, your children's sports, shopping, etc? Instead of just fitting God in wherever we can, let's build our lives around God.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”  — 1 Samuel 7:12 (NKJV) The LORD has not brought you this far, to leave you now. Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). Abba Father is our helper and He is faithful in everything He does. Amen!

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.  — Psalm 95:6-7 (NKJV) We are the people of God's pasture and He watches over His flock like a shepherd. We belong to Him and He takes care of us. We are the sheep our heavenly Father feeds from His hand. He searches for the lost and brings back the strays. He binds up the injured and strengthens the weak (Ezekiel 34:16). He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart (Isaiah 40:11). Don't let the forces of this world pull you out His pasture, away from His protection and His Presence.

But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.  — Psalm 94:22 (NLT) Instead of trying to hide from our heavenly Father, like a child who has disobeyed his parents, let us hide in God. Our God is the perfect hiding place. He is a strong and mighty fortress. He is a safe refuge in the midst of the storm. Hide so far in God that when the enemy comes to knock on your door, he can't even find it.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.  — Psalm 94:18-19 (NIV) The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down (Psalm 145:14). Our heavenly Father comforts our troubled souls and in His presence, there is fullness of joy. May we cling to Him!

The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip . — 1 Timothy 1:5-6 (The Message) In 1 Corinthians 13:3, the Apostle Paul said, “if I don’t love, I’m nothing.” Jesus commands us to love each other as He has loved us. He showed the greatest love of all when He lay down His life for us (John 15:12-13). Open your life to God and let love freely flow from a pure heart and a clear conscience, uncontaminated by self-seeking desires. Without love, the words that come out of one's mouth is meaningless chatter.

But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty.” — Ruth 1:20-21 (NKJV) Naomi was to busy looking at her losses, the death of her husband and two sons, to see what she did have. She had a faithful daughter-in-law who was committed to her and her God. In the midst of adversity and affliction and even extreme suffering, we must remember that God is on our side and He is in the process of working everything together for good. It’s not over yet! Instead of focusing on the emptiness, what you don’t have, look at what you do have, a compassionate God who loves you. When you “feel” empty, fill your cup with the Presence of His Holy Spirit, our Comforter.

What you say goes—it always has. “Beauty” and “Holy” mark your palace rule, God, to the very end of time.  — Psalm 93:5 (The Message) Perfect in beauty, God shines forth! “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8) Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5). Gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple (Psalm 27:4).  Worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness! Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do (1 Peter 1:15). For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:4).

Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. — Judges 16:19 (NKJV) Samson allowed Delilah to lull him to sleep and when he awoke from his sleep, he did not even realize that the LORD had departed from him. Have you been lulled to sleep by the things of this world? It is time to ARISE! “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14).

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”  — Psalm 92:12-15 (NIV) If we want to stay fresh and flourishing we must be planted in the house of the LORD. In order to continually bear fruit for the kingdom of God, let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25). May we make fellowship with our heavenly Father and other believers a priority in our lives, so we can flourish in the courts of our God. Amen!

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 (NKJV) Our God is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness (Jonah 4:2). Give thanks and continually sing His praises, because His lovingkindness is better than life (Psalm 63:3). He crowns us with love and compassion (Psalm 103:4). His love and faithfulness always protects us. Great is His faithfulness. No matter what comes your way today, He will be with you and see you through it. Amen!

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” — Psalm 91:14-16 (NKJV) Set your affections on the Lord. Keep your heart wide open to Him. When we love God with all of our hearts, He  will deliver us and honor us. And we will live unrestricted lives. He will satisfy us in the morning with His unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14)!

He is the one who will rescue you from hunters’ traps and from deadly plagues. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.  — Psalm 91:3-4 (GW) When we continually abide under the shadow of the Almighty, we don't need to fear terrors of the night, the arrows that fly during the day, the plagues that roam the dark, or epidemics that strike at noon (Psalm 91:5-6). Our heavenly Father covers us with the feathers of His love. If we get ensnared by a trap of the enemy, He rescues us. His truth shields us from the lies of the evil one. Thank God for His faithfulness!

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” — Judges 6:13 (NKJV) Many of us have asked God this question at one time or another. First Peter 4:12 warns us, dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. If you find yourself wondering why?, look at it from a different perspective: We may be hard pressed on every side, but we are not crushed; we may be perplexed, but we are not in despair; we may experience persecution, but we are not abandoned; we may be struck down, but we are not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Glory hallelujah! So fix your eyes not on what is seen (temporary), but on what is unseen (eternal), for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).