Manna for Your Morning

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon [Peter], “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch [of fish].” — Luke 5:4 (AMP) Our relationship with God is not to be surface-level or superficial and confined to a Sunday morning. God calls us to venture out into the deep, with Him. In John 10:14 (AMP), Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me ]—” Those who don’t have deep roots, don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. (See Matthew 13:21 NLT) John 20:31 (AMP) says: …these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name. Colossians 1:10 (AMP), instructs us to steadily grow in the knowledge of God [with deeper fa...

They have seen the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. — Psalm 107:24 (NLT) Don’t fall for the distractions of the enemy. He brings drama in your life to get your eyes off of Jesus, then you start following Jesus at a distance (like Peter). This leads to doubt, a disconnection and detours away from the good plans our heavenly Father has for you. Instead, go deeper in God, and be devoted to Him with all your heart. Press into His Presence. Press into praise & worship and His Word.  In Luke 5:4 (NLT), Jesus told Simon, “ Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish .” Today, Jesus calls us to go deeper. We are not to passively linger on the shores, as a spectator. When we plunge into the depths of His Presence and faithfully follow where His Holy Spirit leads, we experience His peace, and joy. We engage with His power, and see the miracles of hearts and lives being changed to the glory of God. Even when building a house, we have to dig dee...

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” — Luke 5:4-5 (NKJV) Jesus may be calling you to launch out in the deep. Even if you have toiled day after day, for years, don't hesitate to act on His Word. The Message Bible says: “ It was no sooner said than done .” (Luke 5:5) Simon acted on the word of Jesus, and they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:6-7) As a result of Simon’s obedience, God provided more than enough. May we continually act on the Word of God, and experience His abundant provision, which is enough to bless others as well as our own family.

I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me] — John 10:14 (AMP) Our heavenly Father desires for us to know Him. He says in the Word many times, “that they shall know that I am the LORD.” He is Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! He is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. (Exodus 34:6) He wants us to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. (Ephesians 3:18) Know that He is a mighty God, who is able to make what seems impossible to us, possible when we trust and rely on Him. In Psalm 46:10 He says, “ Be still, and know that I am God. ”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them… — Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT)  Genesis 1:28 tells us the first thing on God’s heart after He brought human beings into existence was to bless us. The very fact that He created us, shows us that God had us on His mind. His thoughts of us are so great they cannot be numbered. (Psalm 139:17). He created us to enjoy a rich and deep love relationship with Him, one of continual fellowship. The best indicator of love is a desire to spend time with that person. God didn’t just put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and forget about them. Genesis 3:8, says He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. God didn’t bring you into this world to forget about you. He wants a daily walk with you too. Let us nurture our relationship with the Lord. Make Him the number one priority in your life. Don’t let the lies of the enemy or worldly distractions keep ...

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is (Ephesians 3:18 NLT). Be totally convinced that absolutely nothing can get between us and the love God has for us. His love has no boundaries. The love God lavishes on us is limitless. It comes splashing in, wave after wave. Whatever you are going through at this present time, know that God's love is surrounding you. He will work everything together for good, because He is a good, good Father!

You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. — Psalm 66:12 (NIV) No matter how deep the troubled waters get or how hot the flames of adversity become, God promises to be with us. He will bring us through. He will not leave us, nor abandon us. Isaiah 43:2 says, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you (AMP). And once we have gone through, God brings us to a place of great abundance and rich fulfillment. Amen!

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. — Psalm 18:16-18 (NIV) When it seems like you are drowning, know that you are not out of God’s reach. He will take hold of you and draw you out of the floodwaters. The LORD is our support. If God is for us, who can ever be against us? (Romans 8:31) He who dwells in us is greater than he who is in the world. Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us (Romans 8:37b). Amen!

Jesus said, “ Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock ” ( Luke 6:47-48, NKJV ). But everyone who hears the words of Jesus and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sinking sand. If you are building on sinking sand, the moment floodwaters rise, what you have built will collapse into a heap of ruins. However, if you build on the solid Rock, what you’re building will not be shaken, when the storms of life hit.  For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? — Psalm 18:31 (NLT)

For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens, and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all the earth.  — Psalm 57:10-11 (AMP) God's love is so deep, yet it reaches as high as the heavens. His lovingkindness is so great, it has no bounds or conditions. When we mess up, He does not love us any less. Our heavenly Father is so faithful, He simply loves us, as His children, right where we are. Be absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us (Romans 8:39, The Message).

Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. — Psalm 36:5-6 (NIV) Not only does the LORD's unfailing love cover the earth, it reaches way up into the heavens. And nothing in this world can separate us from the love of God. His faithfulness is so great it expands to the skies, and it endures forever. The LORD is faithful in everything He does. Always be mindful of His unfailing love and live in reliance on His faithfulness (Psalm 26:4).

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”  — Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV) The Message Bible says it this way: “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!” With an everlasting love, our heavenly Father draws us to Himself. Be captivated with His love!  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. — 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV) A loyal heart has a consistent, deep devotion, that says, “I'm with you!” It is steadfast and immovable. When you are loyal to someone, you are willing to lay your life on the line for the other person. God is constantly looking for people whose hearts are totally committed to Him, so He can show Himself strong on their behalf. Let us serve Him with a loyal heart and with a mind that is willing to do it His way.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 108:4-5 (NIV) And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:17-19). Nothing can separate us from the great love of God that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation. This way, with all of God’s people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is. You will know Christ’s love, which goes far beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (GW) Let us be deeply rooted and grounded in God's love. His love is a secure foundation that makes us strong. And may you understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. I pray that you experience the eternal love of Christ which surpasses knowledge and be completely filled with the Presence of God.