Manna for Your Morning

“ Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. ” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (TPT) Beloved, let us [unselfishly love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. (1 John 4:7 AMP) Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. (1 Corinthians 16:14 AMP)  “ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is lov...

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die;
 A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; 
A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh;
 A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; 
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; 
A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
 A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate;
 A time for war and a time for peace. — Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NASB1995) It takes wisdom to know the appropriate time to engage in each activity, here on earth. For example it is very important to know when to talk and when it’s better to be silent. Let us ask Yahweh for wisdom and discernment to do the right thing at the right time. However...

How happy are those who have learned how to praise You; those who journey through life by the light of Your face. Every hour of the day, they rejoice at the sound of Your name. They are lifted up and encouraged by Your righteousness. — Psalm 89:15-16 (VOICE) Praise the LORD! Let all that I am praise the LORD. I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. (Psalm 146:1-5 NLT) Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks to the LORD Most High.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. — Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT) Open every corner and crevice of your heart to Christ, that through faith He may make your heart His home. And you will be empowered in your inner man through His Spirit. The LORD gives His people strength. Be deeply rooted and securely grounded in the unfailing, endless love of God. The love of the Anointed One is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. And may you come to know, through personal experience the love of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself. (See Ephesians 3:18-19 VOICE/AMP)

Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive fails and the fields produce no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the LORD; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! — Habakkuk 3:17-18 (AMP) No matter how dismal circumstances appear, choose to rejoice in the LORD. This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 NLT)

And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter replied, “The Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) of God!” — Luke 9:20 (AMP) Who do you say Jesus is? In John 6:67, Jesus asked the twelve disciples, “Are you also going to leave?” 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 6:68-69 AMP) Believe and confidently trust in Jesus. Let us earnestly and diligently seek the Lord. He is our only hope.

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) Whatever hardships we experience, we can know, without a doubt, that God will cause everything to work together for good to those who love God. The question is: Do we love God? True love for God means obeying his commands, and his commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens. (1 John 5:3 TPT) The second criteria for God to work everything together for good is to be called according to His plan and purpose. If we are doing what God called us to do,  we can be certain, ALL things will come together for good. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. (Romans 8:28 T...

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 4:39 (NKJV) When Jesus spoke peace, there was a great calm. Declare His peace over your stormy situation. May you experience a great calm in your life. May a great calm come over relationships that suffer due to strife. Be silent and listen for the voice of the LORD. He will give you the right words to speak at the right time. In 2 Chronicles 20:17, the LORD tells His people, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD…”  With us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 32:8) Be still and wait until the LORD gives you direction. For the battle is the LORD’s and He has already earned the victory for us.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! — Psalm 27:13-14 (NKJV) No matter how difficult circumstances may appear, remain confident that you will see the goodness of the LORD, on the earth. Nothing is too difficult for the One who laid the foundations of the earth and set the limit of the seas. Do not despair, but believe and patiently wait, with hope for the LORD’s help.

“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.” — Revelation 2:19 (NKJV) Let us strive to become more like Jesus. In addition to consistently walking in the will of the Father, He always increased the quality of life for those around Him. As we become more like Him, our hearts will be enlarged with an unconditional love for others. Our works are not done to be seen by man, or to earn God's love, but to serve our heavenly Father and His kingdom, out of gratitude for all He has done for us. May we continually grow in our work of faith, labor of love, and our endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3). What will you do to increase the quality of life for those you encounter today?

Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. — Nehemiah 4:9 (NKJV) When the Israelites were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, their adversaries were very angry and conspired together against them to cause the work to cease. God’s people responded in prayer and also in arming themselves with swords, spears and bows. Whatever work you engage in, for the Lord, know that you will encounter adversaries, who want nothing more than to stop the work of God. When enemies rise up against you, don't be afraid of them, remember the Lord, great and awesome! (Nehemiah 4:14). May we arm ourselves, with prayer and with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Then we can rely on the power and protection of our great God.

I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. — 2 Corinthians 7:4b (NKJV) The Apostle Paul was beaten with rods three times, stoned, shipwrecked, in perils (serious and immediate danger) of waters, in perils of robbers, his own countrymen, and the Gentiles, in perils in the city, the wilderness, and the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). Yet, in all these things, the Apostle Paul says he was exceedingly joyful. This shows, that our joy is not a matter of having the right circumstances in our lives. Our joy comes from knowing Who our God is and that He is able. Nothing is too difficult for Him. Our joy comes from knowing who we are. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. He chose us and accepted us into His family. We can hold onto our joy, knowing that no matter what trials come, they will also pass, and God ...

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.  — 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression (Proverbs 12:25). Don't cast only part of your concerns upon God. We are instructed to give ALL of our cares to Him, once and for all. Don't turn around and take them back again. Our Heavenly Father cares for you. If it concerns you, it concerns Him. Our God is able. Let go and let God be God!

“The mountains may move, and the hills may shake,  but my kindness will never depart from you. My promise of peace will never change,”  says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 (GW) The LORD blesses us with His everlasting kindness, grace and favor. The LORD makes His face shine on you. He turns His face toward you and gives you peace (Numbers 6:26). He showers us with great compassion. Our heavenly Father loves us with an everlasting love and draws us to Himself with unfailing kindness (Jeremiah 31:3). As dearly loved children of God, let us clothe ourselves with the same compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:12).

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT) Let us never forget the good things the Lord does for us. He forgives us for all the times we fall short of His will. He heals our diseases. The Lord redeems us from death and gives us the wonderful gift of eternal life. His love and tender mercies sit upon us like a crown of sparkling jewels. He renews our youth and vigor and fills our life with good things. Glory hallelujah! Praise the precious name of the Lord!

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NIV) As men and women of God, let us heed the words the Apostle Paul shared with Timothy. He warned him to stay away from the love of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love endurance and gentleness. As we do these things we will win the good fight of faith and gain the prize of an abundant life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. Love, Jackie

So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Acts 24:16 (NIV) Let us be like the Apostle Paul and always strive to keep a clear conscience before God and people. That means we have to exercise our love muscle in all our interactions. Make a decision today  to walk in love with God and your neighbors at home, work and play. In His Love, Jackie