Manna for Your Morning

We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TPT) As we draw close to Him, we are progressively being transformed into the image of God. May we become more like Him, every day. Let us forgive others, the way He has forgiven us. (See Matthew 6:14-15). God's thoughts about us outnumber the grains of sand. May Jesus be at the center of all our thoughts and actions. Let us love the way He loves, sacrificially. Love keeps no record of being wronged (1 Corinthians 13:5). Let us reflect the grace and mercy He has given us onto others. And may we consistently reflect His compassion, kindness and gentleness.

Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. — Philippians 4:13 (MSG) No matter what you go through today, remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. The Passion Translation says: “ And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. ” (Philippians 4:13 TPT) Keep Christ at the center of all that you do. As we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit, His power and strength works through us. And IN CHRIST, we have the victory. Amen! 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 (MSG)

... but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. — Daniel 11:32b (NKJV) If you want to know your God, focus on Christ. Make Him the center of your life and He will fill the other areas of your life. He is the firm foundation, and the Chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). He is our strength, in weakness. If you never admit you’re weak, you will never rely on His strength. His light pierces through the darkness and crumbles mountains. He is our joy, in sadness and grief. He is our peace, in times of trouble. He is our physician, in sickness. He is our truth, when lies and deception abound. He sets us free when the enemy binds us up. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! The sweetest name I know. He is our GPS when we don’t know which way to go. When we walk with Jesus, we have a constant Companion, an Advocate, a Comforter, a Healer, a Counselor and a faithful Friend. When we know Jesus, we know love. Know your God. Be strong! And carry out great exploits.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. — Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG) We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:26-28 NLT). He already has every detail worked out, and placed into His master plan. So remain confident of this: you will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13 NIV).

Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. — Colossians 3:17 (MSG) Don’t compartmentalize your relationship with God to Sunday morning. Whatever you do or say, keep Christ at the center of your life and thank God for each and every step He gives you the strength to take on the path of life.

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. — Isaiah 26:3 (AMP) We can have perfect and constant peace as we center our thoughts on the LORD (not our problems). Think about His faithfulness, His goodness and His mighty power. Stay mindful of our awesome God, and all the wonderful works He has done in our midst. May we be fully committed to the LORD and be completely confident that He is able to take care of everything that concerns us.

He must increase, but I must decrease.  — John 3:30 (NKJV) Need more of God in your life? What about in your heart? This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while we slip off to the sidelines (John 3:30 MSG). Today is the day, now is the time, give God complete access to all of you: your heart, your thoughts, your mouth, etc. May we be led by His Spirit, in all that we do and say, then we can experience His fullness in our lives. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9 NKJV).

And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent]. — Colossians 1:17-18 (AMP) In Jesus, all things are held together. Have you ever noticed how your life tends to fall apart when you leave Jesus on the sidelines? Everything in our lives should sit in the shadow of our great and awesome God. Keep Jesus at the center of your life and let everything else revolve around Him. Let Him occupy the first and most precious place in your heart, and every corner and crevice thereafter. Just as Jesus gave us open access to the throne room of God, we should also give Him FULL ACCESS to our hearts, our minds and our lives!

Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!” — Matthew 21:9 (NLT) Jesus is to be the center of our lives. It’s all about Him. May everyone and everything else in our lives revolve around Him. As the Apostle Paul said in Phillipians 1:21, to live is Christ! He is our life (Colossians 3:4). Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3:11). Let us draw our strength, wisdom and unconditional love from the center of our being where Jesus sits on the throne of our hearts as Lord and King. And give thanks to God, who always leads us in victory in Christ!

He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.] — John 3:30 (Amp) John the Baptist speaks a great truth. To live an abundant life, full of joy, peace and freedom, Jesus must increase in our lives, while we decrease. The Message translation says, this is the assigned moment for Jesus to move into the center, while we slip off to the sidelines. May we humble ourselves and allow Jesus to occupy more and more of our hearts. Prepare a place of prominence for Him to sit on the throne of your heart. Let His mighty power work in you and through you to bring about the perfect will of our heavenly Father, for His plans for you are for good, to give you hope and a future.

John answered, “People can’t receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven. You are witnesses that I said, ‘I’m not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ He must increase in importance, while I must decrease in importance.” — John 3:27-28, 30 (GW) The disciples of John the Baptist complained to him that everyone was going to Jesus to be baptized. John realized he was not competing with Jesus. He realized it was not about him, but about doing the will of God. John said, “This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.” (John 3:30, The Message). May we, like John, stay humble, submit to God and be true to the mission He has given each one of us. Let us follow God’s will for our lives as His Holy Spirit leads and guides. Amen.