Manna for Your Morning

Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what evil people do. They love the Lord's teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed. Psalm 1:1-3 (NCV) Those who delight in following the teachings of the LORD and meditate on his Word day and night experience lasting success. They will be happy, strong and fruitful in season.

For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. Psalm 149:4-5 (NIV) The LORD delights in His people. He shows favor to the humble, and crowns them with victory. God guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. Rejoice in this honor. Let us sing for joy from the time we rise until we go to bed at night, for the LORD our God takes pleasure in His people.

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 20-21 (The Message) Build yourself up in faith by speaking God's Word, instead of listening to the lies of the enemy. You are a chosen and treasured child of God and He loves you with an unending love. Stay at the center of God's love and pray with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we don't know what to pray, the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 8:26).

I ask you that we all love each other. And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love. 2 John 5-6 (NCV) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters, (1 John 3:16). Love does not demand its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking. It keeps no records of wrongs, (1 Corinthians 13:5). In order to lay down our lives for each other, we cannot hold onto any grudges. Instead of dwelling on the wrongs done to us, we must choose to forgive and move on. Love never fails or comes to an end. Live in love.

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4-5 (NLT) The world around us is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19), but children of God have His Spirit within and His Spirit in us is greater than the devil who is in the world. We win this battle against the world by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and inviting Him to come into our hearts. Through our faith, we overcome the world. Remember: we have the victory! Hallelujah.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 (NKJ) To walk in the light, is to walk in love. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness (1 John 2:10-11). As we abide in the light, we have the companionship of our heavenly Father and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin and guilt. Amen!

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. Psalm 146:3-6 (NIV) Blessed are those who rely on the LORD as the source of their help. They will be pleasantly satisfied. The help of a person, no matter how powerful, is temporary and limited. Hope in God, the Maker of heaven and earth. He is forever faithful.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (NKJ ) Don't be surprised at the fiery trials that come your way. Our adversary, the devil constantly prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We can resist him, and stand strong in our faith, knowing that God always provides a way of escape. Just as we partake of Christ’s sufferings, we will also be full of joy when he appears again in His glory. Amen.

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. James 5:13 (NLT) Call on God in your distress. He will listen to your cry for help and answer your plea. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16, NLT). After we have made our petitions to the Lord, let us praise Him for His faithfulness and goodness, as we patiently wait for His deliverance. Amen.

The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. Psalm 145:8-9 (NLT) The LORD is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He is full of mercy and His love never fails. There is a constant outpouring of God's great compassion on us and it never dries up. Jesus also understands our weaknesses and identifies with our feelings because He faced all of the same testings we do, but He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). Receive God's continuous flow of compassion as it falls afresh on you today.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV) May the fruit of our lips be a stream of continual praise to God. Declare the praises of our Creator. He chose us and adopted us into His family. How pleasant and fitting it is to praise Him as long as we live! Praise the LORD in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. May the words that come out of our mouths give praise and honor to our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. May our lips overflow with praise to the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever. Hallelujah!

Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus' priesthood is permanent. He's there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. Hebrews 7:23-25 (The Message) When you feel like everyone is against you, remember that Jesus, our advocate, is on your side. When you mess up, know that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, pleads your case with the Father. He always lives to intercede for us. Jesus is the High Priest who truly meets our need. He is holy, blameless and pure, and exalted above the heavens. Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood and through His blood we receive forgiveness and grace. Thank you, Jesus!

So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Hebrews 3:1-2 (The Message) Let us focus our attention on Jesus and keep Him at the center of our thoughts. He is the most important aspect of all that we believe. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10). He is the Rock of our salvation. Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End and He is coming soon (Revelation 22:13).

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8 (NAS) When you wake up in the morning, attune your ears to the voice of our heavenly Father. Hear His still small voice as He speaks of His lovingkindness. Know the voice of the One whose compassions fall afresh on you, every morning. All the days planned for you were written in His book before a single day had passed. Trust our all-knowing God to show you the way.

O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering. Psalm 141:1-2 (NLT) Are you calling upon the LORD? He promises that when we call to Him, He will answer and show us great and mighty things, which we do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). Pour your heart out to our heavenly Father. If you have a concern, it matters to Him. Your prayers go up before God as incense. Raise your hands and surrender to Him, the most precious offering: your heart.

Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. Psalm 138:7-8 (NLT) No matter what circumstances surround you right now, the Lord will work it out. He reaches out His hand and saves you from the flaming arrows of the evil one. The Lord will never leave you or forsake you and His unfailing love toward you endures forever. Praise the Lord!

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV) Once again, a welcomed visit has come to an end and it is time to say, "good-bye." It's a time of sadness and weeping. As my heavy heart aches because of the love I have for my daughter and my desire to have her near, I am reminded of the immense love God has for us, His dearly beloved children and how much He wants...

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. Psalm 118:6-7 (NIV) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man (Psalm 118:8). The LORD is with you to help you. With God on our side we cannot lose. He always leads us in victory because of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). Amen!

God our Father loved us and by his kindness gave us everlasting encouragement and good hope. Together with our Lord Jesus Christ, may he encourage and strengthen you to do and say everything that is good. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (God's Word) The lovingkindness of our heavenly Father gives us everlasting encouragement and ignites our hope. We know the LORD has wonderful plans for us, and He will do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). May God supply the strength you need to consistently do and say that which is good.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) Always be joyful. Don't let the enemy steal your joy. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Pray continually. When you call upon the Lord, He will answer you. Give thanks in all circumstances. Have an attitude of gratitude, as you thank God for who He is and what He has done. This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT) Let us build our lives on Jesus Christ, the everlasting Rock. May our roots grow deeper in Him each day as we produce much fruit in the garden of the Lord. Your faith will be strengthened in the truth and songs of thanksgiving will burst forth from your heart and fill the air with a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. Philippians 3:8-9 (NLT) Those things which matter most, must never be sacrificed for the insignificant things. The world has many things to offer that consume our time and energy, and in the end, they will leave us empty and lifeless. The things of this world are worth nothing compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus. Put more of a priority on doing things that lead to a deeper, more intimate relationship with our Savior. Jesus said, " seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, " (Matthew 6:33).

Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose. As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. Philippians 1:21-24 (The Message) For believers, to live is Christ and to die is to gain even more life, in the realm of the eternal. I so appreciate Apostle Paul's perspective here. He says, to leave this life and be with Christ is much better by far. But because of what believers go through on this earth, it is more useful to the body of Christ for us to remain and do our part here on earth, building each other up and sharing the Good News. As Romans 14:8 says, if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, ...

All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. Psalm 115:11 (NLT) Respect and honor the Lord in your speech and with your actions, for He is holy. Trust Him with all your heart because we can always lean on the Lord God. He is our helper in times of trouble. He is a shield against the fiery darts of the evil one. Praise the Lord!

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7-8 (NLT) We have been saved by God's magnificent grace, which He freely gives. Where we fall short, His grace goes the distance and fills in what we lack. His amazing grace set us free from sin and death and gave us new life, an abundant life. In His rich kindness, God gave us the gift of eternal life so we can fellowship with Him forever. Thank God for His wonderful grace!

Hallelujah! You who serve God, praise God! Just to speak his name is praise! Just to remember God is a blessing— now and tomorrow and always. From east to west, from dawn to dusk, keep lifting all your praises to God! God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God, so majestically enthroned, Surveying his magnificent heavens and earth? Psalm 113:1-4 (The Message) When is the right time to praise God? All the time! Just speak His name. Adonai. He is the awesome Lord, full of beauty and majesty. Jehovah. He is the great "I AM". The self-existent One, who never changes and whose promises never fail. Elohim. He is the all-powerful Creator of all things. El Shaddai. He is almighty God, the all sufficient One, the source of all our blessings. He is our heavenly Father and He is to be praised forever. Hallelujah!

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT) Our inner beings are renewed every day. So don't give up. Take each day as it comes. The Word says our troubles are light and momentary, and they produce for us an eternal glory that excessively outweighs our afflictions. The things we see now will soon be gone, but our glorious future will last forever. Praise the Lord!

It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT) Let us be like the Apostle Paul and acknowledge that our qualifications, abilities and strength come from God, our awesome Creator. Why burn yourself out trying to accomplish things with your limited human capabilities? Draw wisdom, power and strength from the unlimited source of God's Holy Spirit within you. Make the best use of the talents He has given you and then remember to give God all the glory in your success.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) As dearly loved children of God, may we always find comfort in the loving arms of our heavenly Father. He is the source of all compassion and encouragement. He upholds us with His righteous right hand and gives us the strength we need. Praise the Lord!

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. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (NLT) God created you with a purpose and He works in you, giving you the desire and the power to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). Run with purpose and perseverance. Be passionate about your dreams and take the action required to make them reality. This may involve taking the first step in faith and then patiently waiting for God to show you the next step. If your plans are of the Lord, they will not fail. Proverbs 19:21 says the Lord's purpose will prevail. Amen.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1 (NLT) Praise God for keeping us alive and well to see this 1st day in 2011! In view of God's wonderful grace, mercies, and compassions, let us present our bodies to Him as living and holy sacrifices. Let us worship God with the way we live our lives, by embracing our heavenly Father and all He has for us. Give God your heart and let Him mold it. Give your all to Him, the good, the bad and the ugly. In the hands of our Master, we become true masterpieces. Amen.