Manna for Your Morning

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV) We are called to love. Love God and love others. When we walk in love, we build a strong family and community of unity and faith. Division and deception are instruments of the devil. He attempts to draw us away from our heavenly Father, then deceive us about His goodness and the love He has for us. Don’t fall for the tricks of the enemy. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NASB) No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12) May we allow the love of God to be perfected in our hearts. Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfec...

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! — Psalm 133:1 (NKJV) May there be no division in the body of Christ. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:4-5 NIV).  Let us work together with one mind and purpose, that of advancing the Kingdom of God. Not all of us have the same function but we do have a part to play. If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.  (Philippians 2:1-2 MSG). Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand (Philippians 2:4 MSG).

But Noah found favor and grace in the eyes of the LORD. — Genesis 6:8 (AMP) Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9 MSG), and him and his whole family were saved. As we faithfully walk in close fellowship with God, His grace and favor abounds in our lives. And it is the grace of our great God that empowers us to live the kind of extraordinary life that He has called us to live. His grace enables us to fulfill the calling He has for us. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). The Amplified Bible says, “[ an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment ].” 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. (Psalm 84:11 AMP)

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. — Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG) We need each other. Always be willing to lend a helping hand.