Manna for Your Morning

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. — 1 Samuel 1:10 (NKJV) Hannah was sorrowful because she was not able to bear children. In her great distress, she poured out her soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15). When we are in distress it’s best to go to the LORD, and cast our cares upon Him. First Samuel 1:19 says the LORD remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:20) Whatever you have asked of the LORD, whatever you have poured your soul out to Him about, know that He has not forgotten you. In the the process of time, the desires of your heart will come forth. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14) I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. (Psalm 130:5)

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. — Psalm 42:5 (MSG) Don’t let the enemy steal your joy. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT). The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again (Proverbs 24:16a NLT). Take your eyes off your troubles and get them on our mighty God and His wonder-working power. He will deliver you out of all your troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

“The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” — Ruth 2:12 (NKJV) May we all come and continually dwell in the shadow of the LORD’s wings. Come, not to seek a reward, but just to delight yourself in His Presence. Come with a sincere desire to know Him and be more like Him. Psalm 61:4 (NKJV) says, I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah. We can confidently trust in the protective shelter and absolute security of His wings. There is healing power, in His wings. In Malachi 4:2 (NLT) He says, “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. As we fellowship with Him, we can experience emotional, physical and spiritual healing that truly sets us free and fills us with joy. Live your life under His wings and allow Him to carry you with the win

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. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”  — Ruth 1:20-21 (NKJV) First, Naomi lost her husband, then her two sons died. In Ruth 1:13, she said, “the hand of the LORD has gone out against me!” Sometimes, our pain has a way of distorting our perspective of God. Despite the bitter life events you may face, remember that God is for you and He is with you. His Holy Spirit who dwells within us, is our comforter and helper. Naomi’s story is one of perseverance. Even though she returned to her home town empty, she had more than she realized. God was with her and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, stood by her side and listened to her instruction. As a result, Ruth married Boaz and bore a son, and Naomi was able to care for her grandchild. Then the women said to Naomi

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. — Ephesians 6:10-11 (MSG) The Amplified Bible tells us to be strong in the Lord; to draw our strength from Him and be empowered through our union with Him. (Ephesians 6:10). If we are going to stand strong, we must draw our strength from the Lord and remain closely connected to Him. The Lord is the strength of our lives. (Psalm 27:1) Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! (1 Chronicles 16:11) Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4). The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11) ‘Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My rig

Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us, I heard your call in the nick of time; the day you needed me, I was there to help. — 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (MSG) Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” — Luke 10:40-42 NKJV) Are you worried and troubled about many things? Martha’s distractions led her to doubt if Jesus cared. Do not fret. Choose  “ that good part. ”  Martha’s sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. (Luke 10:39). Draw near to the Lord and hear His Word. His Word will give you peace. The Word of God will revive you (Psalm 119:25) and give you strength (Psalm 119:28). His Word is comfort in our affliction and gives us life (Psalm 119:50). Through His precepts we get understanding (Psalm 119:104). His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Sit at His fee

“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” — Psalm 46:10 (MSG) Whatever concerns you have on your heart today, remember that the Lord is above it all. Those circumstances that cause anxiety and make you feel pressured, are under His control. God put all things in subjection under Christ. (Hebrews 2:8). Keep your eyes on Jesus and hold onto the peace He gives. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7).

...for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ — Acts 17:28 (NKJV) When we try to “do” life without God, it leads to frustration and failure. In Him, we are able to live the abundant life. In Him, there is fullness of joy. The Lord is the only One who can complete us. We were created to live and move and exist in Him. Don't let the enemy draw you away from the very source or your life, your purpose and your extraordinary destiny.

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” — Genesis 22:14 (NKJV) Just as God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son, He provided for His people in their 40 years of desert wandering. Our heavenly Father continues to provide for His people today. Wherever He leads you, know that He will provide. ...God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NASB). For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You! (Psalm 84:11-12).

Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. — Judges 16:19 (NLT) In Judges 16:20, Samson didn’t even realize the LORD had left him. As children of God we need to be awake and aware. If we allow the things of this world to lull us to sleep we will find ourselves in a spiritual stupor and we will be powerless when the enemy comes to bring us down. May we be completely devoted to God, treasure His Word (our sword) in our hearts and speak it out of our mouths. 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 13:11-12 MSG) Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dres

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! ( 2 Corinthians 12:7 MSG ). When circumstances try to pull you down, fall to your knees in prayer. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. ( 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 MSG ). May we always appreciate all the gifts (James 1:17) and focus on the Giver of the gifts. Now I take limita

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. — Ruth 1:16 (NLT) When Ruth chose to go with her mother-in-law, Naomi, she committed her life to God and His people. Ruth chose to leave the land of her birth, her family and all that she knew. Sometimes we have to let go of what we know and leave our comfort zone to venture with God into the unknown. When Ruth chose to go with Naomi, little did she know, that God had Boaz, in position to receive her as his wife. Because of her wise choice and commitment to God, she and her son Obed are listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5) What a destiny she would have never known if she would have turned back to the familiar. May we stay committed to the LORD and the call He has for our lives.

So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! — Romans 8:12-14 (MSG) This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” (Romans 8:15 (MSG) Since God woke you up this morning, He has places for you to go and things for you to do. Let’s do whatever He has called us to do, His way. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9) Know that God has a plan for your life, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Every day of your life was recorded in His book. Every moment laid out before a single day had passed (Psalm 139:16). Don’t get stuck in what happened in the

Commit your works to the LORD [submit and trust them to Him], and your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]. — Proverbs 16:3 (AMP) When we do things our own way or on our timetable we do not always get the results we want. Our plans succeed when we have the wisdom to seek God’s will first and follow His guidance. So commit whatever you do to the LORD, before you begin and throughout the whole process. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, LORD. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. — Psalm 4:6-8 (NLT) Material possessions cannot compare to the inexpressible joy that comes from dwelling in the Presence of our great God. In His Presence, we experience fullness of joy and abiding peace. Greater joy comes in knowing Him and completely trusting Him for everything that concerns us. We experience better times when we allow Him to fill us with His love, strength and peace. Come into His Presence, with your arms lifted and heart open wide to Him. He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a wall. (Psalm 91:4 AMP) For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah (Psalm 61:3-4 (NKJV)

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”  — John 14:27 (NLT) Jesus gives a perfect peace that cannot be shaken or moved. What the world has to offer is chaos, empty promises and shallow, temporary emotional experiences. Let us hold onto the perfect peace of mind and heart that Jesus gives to us. When the doctor’s report comes back, when children stray from the narrow path that leads to life, when there is a rift in a relationship, stay in His perfect peace and remember we have the victory in Christ. According to the Amplified Bible, His perfect peace will calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge. (John 14:27)

When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit. — Judges 8:4 (NKJV) Are you still in hot pursuit of all that God has called you to? In spite of our energy level, may we continually pursue all God has for us, to the very end. First Timothy 6:11 tells us to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Hebrews 12:14  says to pursue peace with all people. Sometimes the pursuit of peace with all people can be emotionally exhausting, however God has an abundant supply of love, peace, patience, etc. Let us draw from His vast supply and we will have all that we need to continue on.

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” — Judges 6:12 (NKJV) No matter what challenges you face today, remember, the LORD is with you, mighty man or woman of God. With God we are mighty. As long as you are with God, you are not pitiful, but powerful. With him, the weak can say, “I am strong!” With God, we rise from being victims to being victorious. We have overcome because the Spirit who lives in us is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4). “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. — Ephesians 2:13 (NLT) As children of God, our heavenly Father brings us near. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18 NKJV). He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16 NLT). Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22 NLT).

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” — Exodus 33:14 (NKJV) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG) As we walk with the LORD, we can rest in His Presence, knowing that He loves us and will always provide for our needs. We can totally trust Him to work all things together for good, no matter how hopeless or impossible they may appear at the moment. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; (Psalm 37:7a NKJV) Do not fret—it only causes harm. (Psalm 37:8b NKJV)

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; (Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV). We have life and death, blessing and cursing set before us on a daily basis. But like a teacher who gives you the correct answer to the test, God instructs us to “ Choose Life! ” Don’t live by chance or happenstance. The quality of our lives is a matter of choice. Making the right choice is not a one time event. We are faced with choices every moment of the day. Let us continually choose God, His will and His Way. Make wise decisions that lead to life and blessing. So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. — 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV) The Apostle Paul was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, suffered shipwrecked, and was often in perils (serious danger). He experienced weariness and toil, sleeplessness often, was in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (2 Corinthians 11: 23-27). But he persevered through it all and finished the race. In spite of the circumstances we encounter may we continue to fight the good fight, and finish the race. We are able to do this as we hold onto our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and stand on the Word of God. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV)

For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. — Psalm 21:6 (NKJV) When we focus our attention on the presence of the LORD and give His Holy Spirit access to every area of our being, we become exceedingly glad. He makes us full of joy in His presence. (Acts 2:28 & Psalm 16:11). In the light of His Presence, darkness has to flee, bondages are broken and strongholds are destroyed. In His presence, our mourning turns into dancing (Psalm 30:11). The mountains that stand before us, become molehills when we look to our Mighty God, and remember that He is with us. The battle belongs to our great God and He is well able to establish all that concerns you. That is cause for exceeding gladness to well up inside of us! Don’t let the enemy steal your joy. The joy of the LORD is your strength.

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” — Joshua 23:14 (NIV) Not one detail of God’s promises to the Israelites failed. He fulfilled all the good things He promised them. Today, our heavenly Father still fulfills every promise. His Word stands forever. If He spoke it, He will do it. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen… (2 Corinthians 1:20  NKJV). Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12)

You’re Safe! You who sit down in the High God’s presence,     spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge.     I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,     shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you—     under them you’re perfectly safe;     his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,     not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness,     not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around,     drop like flies right and left,     no harm will even graze you. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,     watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s your refuge,     the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you,     harm can’t get through the door. — Psalm 91:1-10 (MSG)

“At the beginning You founded the earth; The heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.” — Psalm 102:25-27 (AMP) The world around us is constantly changing, but we can always count on our heavenly Father to be the same loving and faithful God that He is. When you go through deep waters, He 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. For He is the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:2-3a NLT) The Message Bible says, When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God... (Isaiah 42:2-3). We things seem impossible, we can count on Him to make a way. “ For I am the LORD,

He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. — Isaiah 40:29-31 (MSG) We get fresh strength as we wait upon the LORD. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psalm 27:14 NKJV) The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:25) Blessed are all those who wait for Him. (Isaiah 30:18) I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. (Psalm 130:5)

Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice. — Psalm 55:17 (NLT) You can be certain that your cries do not fall on deaf ears. Whenever you call upon Him, the ear of the LORD is open to hear your cry. Not only does He hear, He also responds. He sends the answer and fulfills the need. He brings health and healing. Malachi 4:2 says, to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. For those in darkness, His light shines brightly. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness (2 Corinthians 4:6a). Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; (Psalm 32:6a NIV)

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. — Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV) Live for an audience of one, the One who created you. Trying to please people will leave you exhausted and empty. Being overly concerned about the opinions of man will paralyze you and keep you fearful of doing anything. Put your trust and confidence in the LORD, and pursue that which He has called you to do. Remember that God is able to bring you through whatever He has called you to. And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not abandoned those who seek You. (Psalm 9:10 AMP)

Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the road which they should travel. — Nehemiah 9:12 (NKJV) As the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, God led them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. Today, many of us rely heavily on our GPS to get where we need to go. However, God’s Positioning System (GPS) is His Holy Spirit within us. As we listen to God’s inner promptings, He will show us the way we are to take, to fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives. Sometimes our electronic GPS gives directions a little to late and we end up going the wrong way. But God always leads us in the right direction. He gets us in the right position and proper place at the perfect time. As we follow Him we will surely reach our desired destination.