Manna for Your Morning

“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:43-45 (NLT) Yeshua told his disciples that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But, He says, it is to be different among His followers. (See Mark 10:42-43) Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB1995) says: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. May we continually strive to serve others. We are blessed to be a blessing to others. 

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” — Luke 18:35-39 (NLT) When Jesus heard the blind beggar, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” (See Luke 18:40-42) Never let what the crowd says influence your behavior toward Yeshua, our Lord and Savior. Nor let them stifle your belief in Him. Because the blind man continued to call upon Yeshua, Luke 18:43 says, instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.” Do...

He ( Caiaphas ) did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. — John 11:51-52 (NLT) Believers all over the world are brought together, in the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13 NLT) Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. (See Romans 14:19 NKJV) Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. (Ephesians 4:2...

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” — Psalms 84:11 (AMP) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. (Psalms 34:8-9 NKJV) Yahweh is good and generous. His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. (See 2 Peter 1:3) No matter what set of circumstances are before you today, believe that you will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (See Psalms 27:13) Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever. (Psalms 118:29 LSB) His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. (See Psalms 100:5 NKJV)  “For the Lord God is brighter than the brilliance of a sunrise! Wrapping himself around me like a shield, he is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory. Those who walk along...

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” — Luke 15:20 (NLT) Yeshua told a parable of “the lost son”: This younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he decided to go home. (See Luke 15:13-18) Our heavenly Father is full of love and compassion and His arms are wide open to welcome back those who have strayed away from Him. If you have wandered away, let His love draw you back into fellowship with Him. 

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” — Luke 13:24 (NKJV) “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV) “When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’” (Luke 13:25-27 NKJV) In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. — Proverbs 12:28 (NKJV)

“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” — Philippians 1:6 (AMP) Yahweh is faithful to complete the good work He is doing in each believer. Know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (See James 1:3-4 NASB1995) “Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25 NLT)

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” — John 9:1-2 (NKJV) I think it’s the nature of the flesh that likes to direct blame onto others. Instead of looking at the past and placing blame, let us be future-minded and seek solutions. The disciples asked: “Who sinned?” The easier question to ask is “Who hasn't sinned?” Only the King of kings and the Lord of lords, our Savior, Yeshua. Hebrews 4:15 says, He has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:3 NKJV) Take a moment to reflect on the answer Jesus gave His disciples. Maybe the wrongs we have suffered were allowed to happen so the works of God could be displayed in us and in our lives. Let us praise Yahweh for being with us in all of our trials, troubles and temptations an...

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” — John 8:23-24 (NASB1995) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (Ephesians 2:1-2 NLT) But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) (Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT) Yeshua came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly. (See John 10:10) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in the Son has everlasting life; (See John 3:36 & 6:47) Believe and live...

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” — Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT) Yeshua says, the second greatest commandment is equally important as the first: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].” (See Matthew 22:39 NLT & AMP) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NLT) May you forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart, and keep no account of a wrong suffered. First Corinthians 13:5 (VOICE) simply says: Love doesn’t tally wrongs. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. — Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

Many hardships and perplexing circumstances confront the righteous, but the LORD rescues him from them all. — Psalms 34:19 (AMP) Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12 NLT) Do not be anxious, nor dismayed. Yahweh, our God is in your midst, and He is mighty to save. Keep your trust in Him at all times. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience], and He rescues [each of] them. O taste and see that the LORD [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him. O [reverently] fear the LORD, you His saints (believers, holy ones); For to those who fear Him there is no want. (Psalms 34:7-9 AMP)  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous [those with moral courage and spiritual integrity] and His ears are open to their cry. When the righteous cry [for help], the...

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” — Matthew 16:23 (NLT) May we see situations with eyes of faith, from Yahweh’s point of view. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (See Isaiah 55:9) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2 NASB1995) A mind set on the things of man is a tool for Satan to use. Let us have our mind set on the things of Yahweh and His Kingdom. 

Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once. — Matthew 15:28 (NASB1995) The Syrophoenician woman (a Gentile) was one of a few people Yeshua told they had great faith. In Matthew 15:22, she came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” She was aware that Yeshua had come into her region. People of great faith are attentive and sensitive to the Lord’ Pre sence, and come to Him. Matthew 15:23 says: He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”  Instead of sending her away, Yeshua answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” She humbled herself before Him and continued to ask Him for help. Great faith is persistent. And He answered and said, “...

As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope]. We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God].” — John 6:66-69 (AMP) In John 6:51, Yeshua said: “I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).” Instead of being among those who desert the Savior of the world, be among those who dwell with Him and in Him. May we come to know Him personally and experience an intimate relationship with Him. To whom do you consistently go? You may run to someo...

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.” — Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The demands of this world would have us constantly coming and going. Sometimes we need to unwind and unplug. Let us remember to retreat to a quiet place and rest. For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,” (Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) “Quiet your heart in his presence and wait patiently for Yahweh…” (See Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬) “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living.” — Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭(NASB1995‬‬)

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.”  — Matthew 10:21-22 (NLT) As followers of Christ, we can expect the world to hate us. May we patiently persevere the troubles and trials we go through in this life, and endure to the end. …do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.” (Hebrews 10:35-37 NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with enduran...

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. — Psalms 95:6-7a (NLT) “The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.” (Psalms 34:15 NLT) “You who love the LORD, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the LORD and praise his holy name!” (Psalms 97:10-12 NLT) Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;
 He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalms 23:1-3 LSB)

The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are suffocated with the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. — Luke 8:14 (AMP) May we have ears that hear and minds that understand the Word of God. May Yahweh open our eyes to see the wonderful truths in His instructions. (See Psalms 119:18 NLT) Let us treasure His Word in our hearts, that we may not sin against Him. (See Psalms 119:11) Never allow the cares of this life, nor fleeting pleasures, nor the desire for worldly riches to choke the living Word out of you. Trust God and be anxious for nothing. But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15 AMP) Patience is required because it takes time for seeds to grow into maturity and produce fruit. Hold firmly to the word of life, so that you may rejoice i...

“Those on the rocky soil are the people who, when they hear, receive and welcome the word with joy; but these have no firmly grounded root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation they fall away [from Me and abandon their faith].” — Luke 8:13 (AMP) Never abandon your faith. Fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith. (See 2 Timothy 4:7) The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT) May we receive the Word of God in the good soil of our hearts and be firmly rooted and grounded in it. …the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:15 NASB1995)  But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” ...

And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” — Matthew 11:2-3 (NKJV) In Matthew 3:16-17, John the Baptist baptized Yeshua and heard the voice of the Father say: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” What caused him to doubt? Know that Yeshua is the Messiah, the one and only Savior of the world. Never let difficult circumstances cause you to doubt. Yeshua is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. (See John 14:6) We don’t need to look for anyone else. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. — John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. — 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) Let us cast each and every care, concern and anxious thought on Yahweh, because He cares for us deeply. “And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him.” (Luke 1:50 AMP) Be glad and rejoice in His unfailing love, for He has seen your troubles, and He cares about the anguish of your soul. (See Psalms 31:7 NLT)  For the LORD is our hiding place; He protects us from trouble. He surrounds us with songs of victory. Interlude (See Psalms 32:7)

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” — Luke 6:27-28 (NLT) Yeshua repeats this command. It is no mistake. “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” (Luke 6:35-36 NLT) May we be willing to listen and eager to obey the teaching of Yeshua, our Savior and Lord. In Luke 6:46 (NASB1995), Yeshua asks: “ Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ”

And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. — Romans 8:28 (AMP) I love that the Word of God says: “ALL” things. That leaves nothing out. No matter how crazy and unsettling current circumstances may appear, we can be certain that they will come to pass, and God will cause something good to eventually come out of the situation. Also, we know that Yahweh is with us through all of our troubles. Let His Presence with us be our greatest source of comfort and confidence. He is faithful to deliver us out of all our troubles and trials.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all. — 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (AMP) In spite of your current circumstances you can have peace at all times. Yahweh will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are stayed on Him, because they trust in Him. (See Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)

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) …know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. (See Deuteronomy 4:39) How blessed is the man who has made Yahweh his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who stray into falsehood. (Psalms 40:4 LSB) Acknowledge that He is your Maker, the Creator of heaven and earth and all they contain. Recognize that it is only in Him that we live, move and exist. Trust in Yahweh forever, for in Yah—Yahweh Himself—we have an everlasting Rock.  (Isaiah 26:4 LSB) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! — Psalms 34:8 (NKJV)

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” — John‬ ‭3‬:‭19-20‬ ‭(NASB1995‬‬) God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (See 1 John 1:5 NKJV) No matter how dark the world gets, the darkness can never extinguish it. (See John ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬) …Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.” (John‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬) May we love the light and live in the light.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. — 1 John 2:16-17 (NASB1995) In Matthew 4:1, Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In Matthew 4:4 (NKJV), Jesus answered the devil by saying, “ It is written , ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” In response to the devil’s second temptation, Jesus said to him, “ It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ” (See Matthew 4:7 NKJV) The third time, Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written , ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” (Matthew 4:10 NKJV) “Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” (Matthew 4:11 NLT)  Yeshua shows us that in times of te...

In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” — Matthew 3:1-2, 8 (NLT) Matthew 3:8 (AMP) says to produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]; We are not saved by our works, but once we have received Yeshua, the Messiah as our Savior, our behavior should reflect His Presence in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) says: …the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord...

“And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” — Matthew 2:12 (NASB1995) The best kind of warning is a God warning because He knows all. Yahweh speaks to His people in many ways. Let us be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and exercise discernment. The Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth. (See John 16:13) If you’re having problems hearing the voice of Yahweh, draw closer to Him and you will be more likely to hear His still small voice. He is always speaking to us through the Holy Scriptures. If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 AMP) May we heed (pay attention to) the voice of Yahweh and the instruction of His Word. Be wise. Do not ignore or neglect it.

The fifth time, Sanballat’s servant came with an open letter in his hand, and this is what it said: “There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king.”“They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.” — Nehemiah 6:5-6, 6:9 (NLT) The enemy will always try to hinder or stop the work of Yahweh. It is a good work Yahweh is doing in you and through you. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, He will equip us to fulfill the good plan and purpose God has for us. Despite the hardships and challenges you face, don’t let the enemy discourage you or distract you and cause you to drift away from what Yahweh has for you, nor from what He has called you to accomplish. I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you...