Manna for Your Morning

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.” — Hebrews 2:1 (NLT) Don’t drift away from the truth, God’s Word. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) And never doubt, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. (See James 1:6) Be faithful to our heavenly Father, and His Son, Yeshua the Christ to the end. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. (Hebrews 3:14 NLT) “ Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceit...

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. — Psalms 32:7 (NASB1995) He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” (Psalm 91:1-2 NASB1995) Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious and merciful to me, for my soul finds shelter and safety in You, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge and be confidently secure until destruction passes by. (Psalms 57:1 AMP) How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the sons of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. (Psalms 36:7 LSB) Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. (Psalms 63:7 NKJV)

How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. — Psalm 31:19-20 (NASB1995) Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah (Psalm 68:19 NKJV) O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful and fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:23-24 NASB1995) For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” (Romans 10:11 NASB1995) Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6 NASB1995) Amen.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” — Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV) Wise men and women still seek the King of kings and the Lord of lords, each and every day. They acknowledge the fact that He is Christ, the Son of the living God. (See Matthew 26:63) In Revelation 1:8, Jesus says:  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (See John 1:29). “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (See Revelation 5:12 NKJV) In Matthew 2:11, when the wise men had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they present...

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. — 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT) When we cling to something, we hold onto it tightly and remain very close to it. Nothing can get in between us and what we cling to. Let us cling to our faith by leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance. (See 1 Timothy 1:19 AMP) We are not to lean on our own understanding but on God, whose ways and thoughts are higher than ours. As we cling to Him, His strong right hand will hold us securely. (See Psalm 63:8 NLT) ... in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord.   — 1 Peter 3:15a (AMP)

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. — Hebrews 6:18-19 (NLT) So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16 NLT)

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” — Matthew 2:1-2 (NASB) Jesus is always beckoning us to come to Him. Let us be like the wise men and come to bow down and worship King Jesus. Come to receive rest. In Matthew 11:28 (NASB), Jesus said,  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Come to cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Come to receive salvation and be made whole. Let us be like the one leper in Luke 11:15-16, who was healed, and came back glorifying God and fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Jesus.

“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”  — Luke 1:25 (NLT) Our heavenly Father takes away all our disgrace. The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). The LORD has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:12-13 NLT) “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. (Isaiah 54:4a NLT) He will give you a crown of beauty for ashes, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. (Isaiah 61:3,7) This is the kindness of our Lord! Let us praise God for His abundant lovingkindness.

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory… — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) When we invite Jesus into our hearts, a beautiful work of transformation begins. He changes darkness into brilliant light (Ephesians 5:8). He turns our mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11) and our sorrow into joy. He gives the hopeless a hope that is alive and vibrant. In the Lord, the poor become rich, and the weak are made strong. He breathes new life into dead situations and relationships. What is impossible with man becomes possible with our mighty God. Keep the door of your heart open and let His Holy Spirit continue the beautiful work of transformation in you. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. (2 Corinthians 3:18 MSG)

“I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” — Luke 2:30-32 (NLT) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus is the light of the world. Those who follow Him shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. (John 8:12). In His light, there is salvation and revelation. In the light of the Lord, there is everlasting peace, inexpressible joy, and unconditional love. As we live in the light, His strength and power are made available to us and we can walk in victory over the dark forces. Arise, and shine! For your light has come and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  (Isaiah 60:1) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NKJV)

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. — Psalm 9:10 (NKJV) We can put our trust in the LORD. He does not abandon those who seek Him. It is in the dark moments of our lives that the light of His glory shines the brightest. It is in our weakness that His power and strength are displayed. Keep your trust in God, and He will continually guide you along on the path of life. In Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) the LORD says, Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. God has your back.

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. — Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NKJV) Simply stated, the prophet is saying is that when everything he sees with his eyes, contradict the promises of God, He will continue to rejoice in the LORD. May we never let our trust and faith in God be moved by what our current situation looks like. Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15 NKJV). Surely, the God who loved us enough to save us, loves us enough to sustain us.

Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
 bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” — Psalm 46:8-10 (The Message) Simply put, be still and recognize that He is God. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Romans 1:20, NIV). Remember now your Creator, the One who formed you in your mother's womb. Above all, He is God!

The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.  — Psalm 145:14 (NKJV) In Isaiah 41:10, the LORD says, “ Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” The LORD is our support. He is there to catch us if we fall. Our heavenly Father reaches down and lifts us out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire of life. He sets our feet on a rock and gives us a firm place to stand (Psalm 40:2). Amen!

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Matthew 2:10-12 (NKJV) When the wise men came to Jesus, they they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented gifts to Him. The greatest treasure we can offer the Lord is our hearts. Open your whole heart to the Lord today. Worship the Lord today and every day, by letting Him reign in your heart. Let Him occupy every nook and cranny. Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all. Let us rejoice with exceedingly great joy in His presence!

Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that to God every person is the same. In every country God accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right. You know the message that God has sent to the people of Israel is the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all people!" Acts 10:34-36 (NCV) God shows no favoritism. He loves us all and lavishly pours out new compassions on us every morning. No matter who you are or what you have done when you humble yourself and sincerely worship God, you are accepted by Him. You do not have to pretend you are something you're not. God comes to you exactly where you are and meets you there. Hallelujah!

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 (NIV) There are no words to fully describe those moments when we truly connect with God. When something deep inside yearns so bad we desperately reach up through that open window to heaven and lock hands with our Creator. This morning, as I sat in my study writing my thanks to God in a journal, His Holy Spirit came upon me. His still small voice whispered, “Be still and know that I am God.” I laid my pen down and focused on Abba Father. His Holy Spirit totally consumed me. A sweet smelling aroma filled the room. His Spirit lovingly covered my inner being, imparting His love, power and life. He filled me with a profound sense of peace. I felt like a young child as I frolicked in the pure joy of His Presence. His tender touch healed my hurts and restored my weary soul. He silently filled my broken places with His strength and made me whole. I fell to my knees and...

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) The word of God is at work in those who believe. Let us read and meditate on the wonderful Word of God. Instead of giving attention to the negative reports in the news, focus on the good news in the Word. No matter what the world says, the Word tells us God will meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19). While the circumstances we see today are temporary, the Word of God stands forever. Believe His Word. Amen. Grace & Peace to you, Love, Jackie