Manna for Your Morning

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! — Psalm 95:6-7 (NLT) Of all the voices you hear today, listen to the voice of the LORD. It will be His voice that comforts you in the midst of the storm. His voice will give the direction and wise guidance you need. When others reject you, it's His voice that calls you to come near to Him. In Isaiah 55:3 He says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live... ” He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 11:15)

“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?” — Deuteronomy 4:7 (NKJV) We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people, that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9). We do not have a God who is far off. Our God is with us and He will not abandon us. He is intimately acquainted with us. He is there to catch our tears in His bottle. He knows what you are going to say even before you speak a word. (Psalm 139:4). Be confident that you can call upon Him any time of the day or night and He will hear your voice and answer.

You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.’ — Deuteronomy 3:22 (NKJV) Have no fear of the giants that stand before you. Mountains are molehills to our great God.  So don’t be discouraged by the fiery trials and tribulations that come, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Second Chronicles 20:17 says, You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you…   For victory and success in the battles of life, humble yourself under His mighty hand, keep your heart in a position of prayer, and stand on His Word.

“Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God’s bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, but God rises on you, his sunrise glory breaks over you. — Isaiah 60:1-2 (MSG) The Amplified Bible version says to “ Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the LORD] ” (Isaiah 60:1). No matter how dark the outside world becomes, your inside world can still shine with the glorious light of the LORD. Instead of letting the enemy lead you down the dark path of depression, doubt and defeat, live in the light of the Son. In Christ we have new life! As we bear the fruit of His Spirt, we allow the light in us to shine on the world around us. When we consistently exercise love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), those in darkness will be drawn into the marvelous light of the LO

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. — Psalm 5:3 (NKJV) When you don’t know where to go, turn to the LORD. When you're uncertain of what to do, look to the LORD. When you're at a loss for words, speak the Word of God. Lay your requests before the LORD and wait expectantly. Watch and wait for Him to speak to your heart. When we call upon Him He is faithful to answer. When they call on me, I will answer;  I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue and honor them. (Psalm 91:15 NLT)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! — Psalm 133:1 (NKJV) May there be no division in the body of Christ. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:4-5 NIV).  Let us work together with one mind and purpose, that of advancing the Kingdom of God. Not all of us have the same function but we do have a part to play. If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.  (Philippians 2:1-2 MSG). Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand (Philippians 2:4 MSG).

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. — Psalm 34:8 (MSG) Delight yourself in the LORD, every moment of your day. Don’t just listen to what others know about Him, experience His goodness firsthand, up close and personal. In spite of the troubles that come,  you can remain confident that you will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13) May our eyes be open to see His goodness each and every day He wakes us up. “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6 NKJV) Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:31 NKJV)

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” — Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:1-4 NLT). No matter how dark the valley or how deep the pit, we will arise and live in the light of the LORD, because He is with us! “ I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. ”   ( Leviticus 26:12 NKJV)

I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. — Psalm 94:18-19 (NLT) The unfailing love of the LORD is our support. If God hadn’t been there for me, I never would have made it. 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 94:17-19 MSG). When you don’t know what to do, run to the LORD. He will calm you down and cheer you up. His mercies are new every morning.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. — 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) How do we escape the hidden traps of the enemy? By being aware and alert to his wicked schemes. We must also know God’s Word and rely on His great wisdom and mighty power in every area of our lives. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 NKJV). This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels (Ephesians 6:12 MSG).

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? — Numbers 23:19 (NLT) God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). If He has spoken it, He shall bring it to pass. You can stand on His Word and all of the wonderful promises it contains. After Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, in the miraculous birth of Isaac (Hebrews 6:15). Indeed, we count them blessed who endure (James 5:11). God does not show personal favoritism. We too shall receive what was promised, through our obedience, and patient perseverance. As He has spoken, so it shall be!

Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. — Numbers 21:4 (NKJV) Discouragement is one of the devil’s greatest tools. Discouragement leads to defeat because it gets us to take our eyes off of God and put them on ourselves and our circumstances. On your life’s journey, never let the enemy drag you down the road of discouragement. The sun never shines on that street. Always travel in the light of the Son. His highways are full of light, joy, and peace. You will be strengthened and empowered as you travel in the lanes of His goodness and grace. Persistently pursue His Presence, and you will find that any struggle, difficulty or challenge you face is smaller and more insignificant than our great big God.

But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me. — Micah 7:7 (MSG) No matter what seems to be going wrong in your life, trust God to make it all right. When the going gets tough, don’t give up and run away from Him. God is deeply concerned about you and He causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, and are called according to His plan and purpose for them (Romans 8:28). Look expectantly for the LORD and with confidence in Him keep watch; wait [with confident expectation] for the God of our salvation. God will hear you. (Micah 7:7 AMP)

Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? — Numbers 14:11 (NKJV) All the men who were sent to explore the promise land came back and gave the people a bad report, except Joshua and Caleb. They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ (Numbers 14:7-8) And only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land. (Numbers 14:38). They had a different spirt and followed God wholeheartedly (Numbers 14:24). Don't receive the bad report. Our God is good all the time. Believe the LORD and follow Him wholeheartedly to your promise land.

And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.” — Numbers 9:8 (NKJV) Instead of rushing into something God has not called you to, stand still and wait to hear His instruction and guidance. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. (Psalm 37:7a NLT). Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7b NIV). The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD, and He delights in his way [and blesses his path]. (Psalm 37:23 AMP)

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said. Then the LORD’s anger blazed against them… — Numbers 11:1 (NLT) The Israelites said, “ We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes! ” (Numbers 11:5-6 NKJV). They despised the provision of the LORD and glorified what they ate while they were slaves. Sometimes we can get so focused on the small insignificant things, that we miss the big thing God is doing. The big thing is that they were free. May we always remember the good the LORD is doing, and has done in our lives. Instead of complaining about what we don’t have, let us lift our hands to praise God for all that He has provided. May we use the breath of life that He has put in our lungs to thank God that in spite of the hardships we face, He still reigns!

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) Jesus calls all who are weary and carry heavy burdens to come to Him and He will give them rest. (Matthew 11:28). Release your burdens to the LORD and He will sustain you. (Psalm 55:22). He beckons us to come to Him, because His grace is enough for us. He supplements our weaknesses with His strength. Wherever we fall short, His grace fills in the gaps. He illuminates the dark places with His life-giving light. He turns our sorrow & sadness into joy & gladness. In His Presence, we can let go of disappointments and discouragement and cling to the living hope we have in Christ.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. — Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) You are a unique masterpiece put together by our heavenly Father, one of a kind. You are His special treasure, created new in Christ Jesus. We are the clay, and our Father the potter; And all of us are the work of His hand. (Isaiah 64:8) Just as clay in the hand of the potter, we need to be soft and pliable in His hands in order to fulfill the good things He has planned for us. May we bend when He says bend and fold in the places where He wants us to fold. And He is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams]… (Ephesians 3:20 AMP)

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. — Proverbs 17:22 (NASB) Are you looking for the perfect prescription? It is found in the Word of God. A cheerful heart is the best antidote for discouragement, weariness, etc. Proverbs 17:22 NLT says, a broken spirit saps a person’s strength, and Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that the joy of the LORD is our strength. Never let the enemy steal your joy. In addition to strength, a joyful heart is also good for our overall mental and physical health. A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired (Proverbs 17:22 MSG). The Amplified version adds that a happy heart and a joyful mind causes healing. Where do we find our joy? Fullness of joy is found in the Presence of Almighty God and there are pleasures forevermore at His right hand. (Psalm 16:11). Dwell in His Presence and He will give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit o

This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. — Psalm 118:24 (NASB) This is the day the LORD has made. Let us do all things without complaining and disputing or grumbling (Philippians 2:14). May we live in grateful appreciation for all that God is doing in our lives. Every day of your life was recorded in His book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (Psalm 139:16). Whatever you are facing today, God has a plan and what a wonderful, glorious plan it is! He will work it all together for good —the good, the bad and the ugly. Continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise from a grateful heart. And give thanks no matter what the circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead… — Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT) Just as we diligently charge our mobile devices, let us persistently stay plugged into the Presence of Almighty God and His wonder-working power. We don't have to worry about power outages or exceeding the usage with our great God. Let us keep our batteries fully charged with His power that enables us to live the extraordinary life He has called us to live. As we stay closely connected to Him, we rise above the circumstances of this life. A close relationship with Him allows His power to work in us and through us. When our heartstrings intertwine with His, the power and strength of His love is dispersed within us. Then we can be conduits of His powerful love, positively energizing the lives of those around us.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1 (NIV) If you are feeling all alone in the troubles and trials that you are going through, know that God is our refuge and strength. He is always ready to help in times of trouble. He is mighty and immovable. Your circumstances cannot move Him. He is a strong and impenetrable fortress. So we will not fear when disaster strikes and our world seems to be falling apart. The mountains that stand before you today will crumble in His Presence. Our God has a well-proven track record of delivering His people from all their troubles. Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you.

“And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?” — Luke 12:25-26 (NASB) When tempted to worry here are three things to remember. 1) God is with you. In the fiery furnace or in the flood, in stormy times and in times of trouble, His Presence is with you and He will bring you through. 2) The battle belongs to the LORD. Do not fret or be anxious. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it (Psalm 37:5). Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7). 3) He has already won the victory. In John 19:30 when Jesus declared, “It is finished!” the victory was accomplished. In Him we are more than conquerors. Just as He overcame, we overcome!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. — Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) When the going gets tough, look away from all the distractions and focus your eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2). You can do all things [which He has called you to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers you [to fulfill His purpose]. Philippians 4:13a (AMP). He will give you inner strength, and peace as He leads you and causes you to triumph over the troubles that come your way.

“God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him…” — 2 Chronicles 16:9a (MSG) Trust in and rely confidently on the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. (Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP). May we stay totally committed to the LORD, to His way and to His will. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (Psalm 18:30 NKJV).

But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! — Romans 13:14 (MSG) Don't let the worries of this life choke God’s Word of life out of you. “The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it (Mark 4:18-19 MSG). Seek the Kingdom of God  above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness. — Psalm 145:3 (MSG) We serve a mighty, big God. His love is limitless. His grace and mercy knows no bounds. His supply of peace and joy are everlasting. Time and space have no hold on His mighty power. The extent of how much of Him we experience in our lives is limited by our expectations. To the woman with the issue of blood, all she had to do was touch the hem of His garment and His power was released to change her life forever. (Matthew 9:20-22). For the centurion, all Jesus had to do was speak the word and his servant was healed. (Luke 7:7). When we call out to God, He answers. What is they cry of your heart today? Humbly come to Him with earnest expectation that He is all you need Him to be and He has exactly what you need to experience victory in your life.

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about…?” — Judges 6:13 (NKJV) In the midst of difficult and adverse situations, you may not understand “why?” but you do know WHO. The LORD is the One who will bring you through. Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, but the LORD rescues him from them all (Psalm 34:19 AMP). He is the One working on your behalf to give you a future and a hope. WHAT is the Victory! Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory (Psalm 98:1NKJV). Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ!

“For I am the LORD, I do not change…” — Malachi 3:6 (NKJV) While the world is constantly changing, we have stability in the LORD. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus forgives, He saves and He heals. Jesus is forever faithful and a constant companion, full of compassion and love. The uncertainty of present day events is like shifting sand, but we have a strong foundation in the LORD. As long as we build our lives on Him, what we do in Him and for Him will last through life’s major upheavals. When the going gets tough, remember, you can count on God. He is always there for you, never to leave you nor abandon you.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. — Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) Instead of centering your thoughts on the problem, center on God’s Presence. He is with you and in His Presence their is wonder-working power to overcome challenges. In His Presence, mountains melt like wax. In His Presence there is peace that surpasses understanding and fullness of joy. Meditate on the wonderful promises God has given us in His Word.

“You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; — Matthew 5:14 (AMP) For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true (Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT). If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7 NLT). We don't have to hide. He called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). In the light we have abundant life, peace, and joy. So let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16 AMP). Be the light of hope to those around you.