Manna for Your Morning

We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. — 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT) Cast your cares on the Lord. Instead of trusting in your own strength, let your troubles cause you to rely solely on God, who possesses the power to raise the dead. Keep your hope in Him and you will not be disappointed. He delivers the righteous from all their troubles.

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (AMP) We are called to love. Love our brothers and sisters, love our friends and even our enemies. Proverbs 17:17 says, a friend loves at all times… First Peter 3:8 encourages us to have compassion for one another and love as brothers. Jesus tells us to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us… (Matthew 5:44 NKJV) First Peter 4:8 says: Above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Why this great call to love? Because love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8) As we continually sow seeds of love there will be a great harvest and love will be the fruit. Ephesians 4:2 says, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bear with one another in love… We have to bear with one another’s shortcomings because it will not always be easy. That is why we are to be inspired and motivated by God’s lov...

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. — Hebrews 3:1 (NIV) If we want to rise up to another level of living and being, we have to elevate our thoughts. There is no other name higher than the name of Jesus. Let us fix our thoughts on Him. The New Living Translation says to think carefully about this Jesus. The Amplified Bible instructs us to thoughtfully and attentively consider Him. As we fix our thoughts on Jesus, we will be more likely to follow Him. As we give attention to Him, we will become more like Him. 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 MSG)

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. — Colossians 3:15 (NLT) As brothers and sisters in the family of God, we are called to live in peace. His peace is to rule in our hearts. That means peace is to have dominion over worry, envy, strife, jealousy, etc. Instead of picking each other apart, we are to pick each other up. Let us stop fretting over earthly concerns, and cultivate peace, in our hearts and in our relationships. As we abide in His peace, we see all that we have to be thankful for. With peaceful hearts, we are able to appreciate all the wonderful things God is doing in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. — Genesis 45:4-5 (NKJV) What Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, God used for good and the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20). Isaiah 54:17 says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper. The Word doesn't say the weapon would not be formed, just that it will not prosper. Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeals that come (1 Peter 4:12), just keep trusting God to work it all together for good.

 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” — Luke 18:29-30 (NKJV) Whatever we considered as gains, let us now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Philippians 3:7-8, NIV). God has plans for our good, not just in the eternal world, but also here on this earth. Give all that your are and all that you have to Him and trust that you will receive much more in your lifetime, as you seek first His kingdom.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. —James 2:14, 17 (NIV) For those of you who read my New Year letter, you may remember my favorite days are the ones when I KNOW I am right in the center of God's will. Well, yesterday was definitely one of those days. As I met with sisters-in-Christ from the Celebration of Womanhood ministry and listened to the guest Pastor at church last night, I was hearing God's message, loud and clear. And I made a commitment to minister to hurting women in my community. Lay aside the excuses about why you have not done what God has called you to. God wants results and not excuses. He wants us to reach out and help meet the needs of our neighbors and be witnesses for Jesus Christ. God is calling us to get busy, not at doing things that will not matter but at doing the right things, the things that will change this world for Christ. Amen.