Manna for Your Morning

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. — 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. (2 Peter 3:9 NASB) And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. (See 2 Peter 3:15 NLT) “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world…” (See Acts 17:30-31 NLT) “But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit. Fasten your hearts to the love of God and receive the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us eternal life.” — Jude (Judah) 1:20-21 (TPT)

All this will flow from the kind and compassionate mercy of our God. A new day is dawning: the Sunrise from the heavens will break through in our darkness, and those who huddle in night, those who sit in the shadow of death, will be able to rise and walk in the light, guided in the pathway of peace. — Luke 1:78-79 (VOICE) Yeshua came as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Him should no longer abide in darkness. (See John 12:46) Rise and walk for the light of Yeshua illuminates the path that leads to peace and truth. He is the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. (See John 1:9) In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:4-5 NASB1995) And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19 NKJV) The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, ...

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” — Matthew 2:13 (NLT) Jesus calls all men and women to come to Him. He is the bright morning star (Revelation 22:16) Let us come to worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NLT) All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. — 1 Timothy 1:17 (NLT)

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” — Psalm 27:8 (NLT) Seek the face of YAHWEH in prayer, and require His Presence as your greatest need. (See Psalm 27:8 AMP) Desire more of Him, above anything else. Our primary goal is to live close to the LORD, to know Him more and more each day, and respond to His will and His Word. Let us get rid of the clutter in our minds, hearts and lives. The worries and cares of this world will choke the Word out. (See Mark 4:19) And let go of man-made traditions. In Mark 7:8 (AMP) Yeshua says: “You disregard and neglect the commandment of God, and cling [faithfully] to the tradition of men.” Instead, listen for His still small voice, and your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (See Isaiah 30:21 NLT). Be a follower of Christ, not man. It is from Him, that all our blessings flow. Amen. First and most import...

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “ Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. — Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV) When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and announced the good news to them “that the Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” They made their way to Jesus with haste. May we make it an urgent priority to make our way to JESUS everyday. Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest .” — Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. — John 8:44 (NLT) I know this is an odd Scripture for Christmas Eve, but I was reminded in my quiet time this morning, how much of a liar the devil really is. One Christmas morning over 28 years ago, I was being bombarded with suicidal thoughts. The devil was telling me, I may as well kill myself because my life was never going to get any better. Liar, liar, liar! God has blessed my life exceedingly beyond what I could have ever imagined that day. If this Christmas season finds you in a difficult place, remember the Scripture God gave me that morning: Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) , I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. If you are be...

Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. — Matthew 2:11 (CSB) Be a wise man or woman of God and fall to your knees and worship King Jesus, Savior of the world. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is Immanuel: God with us, so worthy of all our adoration, praise, and worship. Present to Him the gift of your heart, humble, open and willing to do His will. Let Him make your heart a vessel through which His love, light and life, can flow. His Holy Spirit fills our hearts with His peace, His power, and His Presence. Glory hallelujah! …I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship.  — Romans 12:1 (VOICE)

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. — Isaiah 9:6 (NASB) It doesn’t matter what you need, Jesus is the One you need to call. When you want someone to talk to, call on Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor. Before you phone a friend, talk to Him. He is your constant Companion and guide. When trouble strikes, He is our Mighty God. Jesus is bigger and greater than anything that stands before us. No matter what kind of relationship we have with our earthly parents, we can call on Jesus, the everlasting Father. Just as a loving father takes care of his children, Jesus is always with us. He watches over us and provides for our every need. We can also call on Jesus, the Prince of Peace. He gives us a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). In the middle of the storm, we can abide in the perfect peace that He gives, k...

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. — Luke 2:15-16 (NKJV) Jesus calls each and every person to come to Him. May we be like the shepherds, and make haste everyday, to come to Jesus. They did not take any detours, they made their way straight to Him. Let there be a sense of urgency to seek His face and His will for your life. Make Him your first priority. May we look to Jesus, the Living Word, for the answers to the challenges we face. When we allow all of our earthly concerns to operate within and through our relationship with Christ, He gives us the direction and guidance we need to live a successful and victorious life. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first...

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying one to another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” — Luke 2:15 (AMP) When the shepherds were told about the birth of Christ the Lord, they had a sense of urgency about going to see Him. In the Message Bible, they said, “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They started their journey at once and I doubt that they got sidetracked or took any detours. May we also have a sense of urgency when it comes to drawing near to our Lord and Savior. Stay clear of sideshow distractions that serve to create distance between you and the Lord, and closely follow Jesus.

“Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.” — Luke 2:14 (AMP) In a world that is full of chaos and disaster, the only peace we find is in our amazing love relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. (Colossians 3:15 AMP)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. — James 1:17 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 NIV). Our Heavenly Father did not hold back. He gave us the perfect Gift, Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus keeps on giving. He continually saves. He keeps on loving. Let us not hold back on God. Be a giver. Abundantly add to the lives of those around you. Give generously. Let your love be free and unconditional. Jesus came to give (life, peace, joy, love, etc.). May we follow His example.

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.   — Psalm 37:5 (NLT)  Thoughts from my fourth hike: From the view at the beginning of this hike, it was obvious that it was a steep, uphill climb. It took courage to even start this hike, but once on the path, I stayed committed to complete the course. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we commit to follow Him. Sometimes we encounter a lot of uphill battles, but stay committed to Jesus. In difficult situations, remember to always pray and NEVER give up! (Luke 18:1, NLT) At the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint (Galatians 6:9b, AMP). The view from the top is sweet! The view from the top!

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. — Luke 2:10-11 (NASB) Jesus is God's gift to the world, every race, tongue, tribe and nation. God shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34). The Lord does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10). Amen!

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  “Glory to God in the highest, a nd on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV) When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, a multitude of the heavenly host praised God. As we celebrate the birth of Christ the Lord, may we worship God with all of our hearts for this amazing act of love. He sent His Son to this earth to save us. Glory hallelujah! Let everyone who has breath praise the LORD!

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (NKJ) Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn. Be sure to make room for Jesus in your heart. Instead of letting a desire for the temporary things of this world occupy your heart, seek the face of the Lord with all your heart. May the longing of your heart be for more of His Presence. Do not allow your heart to be hardened by hatred or made cold with bitterness. Instead, open your heart wide to the Lord, until it’s only reflection is the soft, warm glow of His love and His light.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. ” Luke 1:30-33 (NKJ) Tomorrow before all the gifts are opened and the meals eaten, let us remember the One whose birth we celebrate, the One whose kingdom will never end. Think about the sacrifice Jesus made in leaving heaven to be born on earth. He came to save us. Rejoice because of Jesus, the greatest gift of all. In Him we have life more abundantly and for all eternity. Praise the Lord! Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! With Love, Jackie

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV) Jesus humbled himself, put on humanity and was made like us. By His death He destroyed the devil and freed us from our fear of death. Romans 14:8 says, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Oh what liberty and power we have in Christ. Imagine what believers would dare do for God when we really understand that the devil holds no power over us as long as we remain in Christ. Jesus has already given us the victory. May we be bold and do great things for the kingdom of God in the coming year.  Love, Jackie