Manna for Your Morning

Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. — Psalms 112:1-4 (NLT) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:7 NKJV) Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. (Psalms 112:6-9 NLT) Who is among you that fears Yahweh, that listens to the voice of His Servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him t...

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head and lay down in that place. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it.” — Genesis 28:10-11, 16 (LSB) In Jacob's dream, God said, “I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac… Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. And I will bring you back to this land; for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have promised you.” (See Genesis 28:13, 15) Today, He is with us. Whatever place you are in, remember Yahweh is in that place with you. You are never alone. No matter what situation or circumstance you are facing, you too can declare: “Surely Yahweh is in this place!” Wherever you go, His hand will guide you and His strength will empower you. (See Psalms 139:10 TPT) Always be aware o...

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. — Psalm 118:1 (NASB1995) The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17 NLT) Good and upright is Adonai. Therefore He directs sinners in the way. He guides the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All Adonai’s ways are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. (Psalm 25:8-10 TLV) He has given us greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. (See Psalm 4:7 NLT) Taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything. (Psalm 34:8-9 NASB) “ For Yahweh is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you— so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, fo...

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 (NASB1995) Our enemy has waged war on all who obey the commandments of God and maintain their testimony for Jesus. (See Revelation 12:17) We need to be alert and cautious at all times. The Message Bible says: The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. (1 Peter 5:8)  Be strong in the Lord. Draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (See Ephesians 6:10-12)

Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves. For then you will be seen as innocent, faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe, holding out the words of eternal life.  — Philippians 2:14-16a (TPT) As believers, and ambassadors to the Kingdom of God, we are to let His light shine through us, at all times, —the light of His love and grace, the light of His peace and joy. We have been transferred from the domain of darkness into the marvelous light of the Lord. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5) For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! (Ephesians 5:8 NLT) Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that lea...

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. — Romans 8:2 (NASB) We are no longer slaves to sin. Jesus has set us free to live a more abundant life of love, joy, and peace, in holiness and righteousness. So now, what can I ever give back to God to repay him for the blessings he’s poured out on me? I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me. (Psalm 116:12-13 TPT) Lord, because I am your loving servant, you have broken open my life and freed me from my chains. Now I’ll worship you passionately and bring to you my sacrifice of praise, drenched with thanksgiving! (Psalm 116:16-17 TPT) May our lips continually give thanks to God and praise Him. He has been so good to us, and His goodness and mercy extends to all generations. “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, and recovery of si...

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. — Psalm 23:4 (NLT) God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax;  (Psalm 9:9 MSG) Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you. (Psalm 9:10 NLT) Seek the LORD every moment of the day. Daily determine to do His will. For He has not forsaken those who genuinely seek Him. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. — Psalm 23:4b (TPT)

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. — Hebrews 11:27 (NLT) Moses was able to keep going because he kept his eyes on the One true God. Let us keep our eyes on the LORD. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made (Romans 1:20) When we look at all God has done, we know that nothing we face is to difficult for Him to handle. He is the way maker. When we keep our eyes on Him, we too, will be able to keep right on going, in spite of the challenges and difficulties we encounter. So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. — 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT)

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...

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. — Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV) Just as God had a set time for Jesus to be born to Mary and Joseph, He has a set time for you to walk in the fullness of what He has prepared for you, as His child. He is a faithful promise keeper. He fulfills every promise. In Isaiah 55:11 (NLT), He says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” The good plans the LORD has purposed for you will come to pass, in due time. Until then, keep fighting the good fight of faith, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2a)

As I watched secret santa gifts being exchanged at a Christmas party, I realized one simple thing. Once a gift has been offered, it is on us to accept it, neglect it, or reject it. We choose to accept it and unwrap it. Some choose to complain about the gift. Some discard the gift and therefore never enjoy the benefits the gift may bring. Others receive gifts with grateful hearts. They embrace them and cherish them, as a result, their lives are changed. God gave us the most precious gift —His Son! If you neglect Him or reject Him, you will never know the benefits. Accept Him. Unwrap the mysteries that surround Him, by getting to know Him (reading the living Word and spending time with Him). Invite Him into your heart. Jesus gives us the gift of grace, peace and a more abundant life. Accept His gift and walk in it every moment of the day. Accept the wonderful gift of His Presence. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our L...

When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”  — Psalms 27:8 (NKJV) I believe we are looking at the face of God when we reach our hand out to help those in need. Or when we turn the other cheek at offense and go the extra mile with a friend. When we love and pray for our enemies, His face is shining upon us. May we continually seek His face!

Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. — Matthew 1:19 (NIV) After Joseph considered divorcing Mary secretly, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife (Matthew 1:24). As a faithful man, Joseph was willing to allow his love to be a covering for Mary. He did not want to publicly shame or disgrace her. And even though he did not necessarily understand the situation, he obeyed God. Will you be a faithful man or woman of God and totally trust Him enough to just obey Him, when you situations in your life just don’t make sense? Will you keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins? (1 Peter 4:...

Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be your wisdom!  — Job 13:5 (NKJV) Ecclesiastes 3:7 reminds us that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. Sometimes silence is golden. When Job's friends learned of his troubles, they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great (Job 2:13). Wisdom is not only speaking the right word, but also speaking at the right time. A word spoken in due season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23)

Your words were found, and I ate them,  And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;  For I am called by Your name,  O LORD God of hosts.  Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV) When we open our eyes to the Word, we see wonderful things (Psalm 119:18). His Word gives us strength and preserves our lives. Our heavenly Father sends His word out, and it always produces fruit. It accomplishes all He wants it to, and it prospers everywhere He sends it (Isaiah 55:11, NLT). Delight yourself in His Word!

Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. Psalm 108:12-13 (NIV) Instead of putting your confidence in man, look to the LORD. With God's help, we gain the victory. The One in us, is greater than the one in the world. With God all things are possible. As long as we remain in our heavenly Father, we are a powerful, unstoppable force. Amen!

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 (NKJ) When all kinds of trials and troubles come our way, we can consider the benefits that it will produce in our lives. As our faith is tested in the pressure cooker of life, we learn to be patient. Once our patience is developed, we may be perfect and complete, not lacking anything. So let us count it all joy when we face challenges, knowing that God will work it all together for good. The eternal benefits will far outweigh the momentary suffering. Love, Jackie

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV) The human mind cannot begin to comprehend the fullness of what God has for those who believe, but we can be sure that it is better than what we have here on earth. A popular movie asked the question, "Is this as good as it gets?" We can rest assured that the best is yet to come. Keep your eye on the prize and run your race to the finish line. Love, Jackie