Manna for Your Morning

Don’t set the affections of your heart on this world or in loving the things of the world. The love of the Father and the love of the world are incompatible. For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance —none of these things come from the Father but from the world. — 1 John 2:15-16 (TPT) The book of Judges gives us the account of Samson. He fell in love with a woman named Delilah. (Judges 16:4 NLT) Her intention was to bring Samson down. After Delilah constantly nagged him, Samson told her the secret of his strength. (Judges 16:16-17)  In Judges 16:19-20, Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and had his hair shaved. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. When he woke up, Samson thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him. Today, our heavenly Father has promised to never ...

…what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? — Psalm 8:4 (NLT) Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me. (Psalm 139:17-18 TPT) May we think about and set our affections on our great and awesome God as much as He is mindful of us. “For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the LORD who has compassion on you. — Isaiah 54:10 (NASB)

Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me. — Psalm 139:17-18 (TPT) No matter what you have been through today, God is still with you. He will protect, guide and comfort you. He gives us strength and is our strong foundation. He sustains us in the good times and the bad.

For this reason He says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light.” Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. — Ephesians 5:14-16 (AMP) In Luke 22:45-46, when Jesus rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, “ Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation .” As believers, do not let us be found sleeping. May we stay awake, arise and live with honor, purpose and courage. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first...

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...

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).

But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. — Mark 4:38-39 (NKJV) When our wind-beaten boat is being tossed to and fro by the stormy waves of life, and we can’t see anything good happening, with our natural eyes, it may seem that Jesus has fallen asleep on the boat. But rest assured that He is awake, He cares and He is at work in your life. Instead of panicking, exercise great faith and speak the Word of God over your circumstances. Be still and know that He is God and He has given you peace that can endure throughout all situations.

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”  And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” — Genesis 28:16-17 (NKJV) Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you (1 Corinthians 6:19)? And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). May we (the church and body of Christ) have a spiritual awakening and always be aware of His presence within us, and His mighty power which is at work in us to bring about the perfect will of God.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.  — Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV) How precious are God's thoughts concerning you!  Our God is so amazing. His thoughts of you outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore. Not a moment passes by, that you are not on His mind. He has made many wonderful plans for us (Psalm 40:5, GW). May our minds be captivated with thoughts of our loving and gracious God!

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