Manna for Your Morning

And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. — 2 Kings 4:18-20 (NKJV) The circumstances were dismal, but the Shunammite woman had faith in God, a living hope and an expectation for a different outcome. She laid her son on the bed of the man of God, shut the door, and went out. She said to her husband: “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” So her husband asked, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “ It is well .” (See 2 Kings 4:21-23) When she went to the man of God, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi inquired, and she answered: “ It is well. ” (See 2 Kings 4:25-26) She wasn’t looking at the current condition of her son. Don't...

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ — Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) In the Message Bible, the LORD says: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out —plans to take care of you, not abandon you…” (Jeremiah 29:11) Trust Almighty God, Who sees the whole picture. He has all your days written in His book and His plans for you are for peace and well-being. But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the LORD day by day. Surely there is a future [and a reward], and your hope and expectation will not be cut off. — Proverbs 23:17b-18 (AMP)

O LORD of hosts, How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation]. — Psalm 84:12 (AMP) Commit yourself to God. For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. (Psalm 84:11 NLT) God’s glory is all around me! His wrap-around presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength. (Psalm 62:7 TPT) Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. (Psalm 62:8 NASB)

O LORD of hosts, How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation]. — Psalm 84:12 (AMP) Those who believe in God and rely on Him, are blessed and greatly favored. Commit yourself fully to the LORD. Confidently expect God to bring you through, whatever He has brought you to. Believe that He rewards those who earnestly and diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NASB) says, …without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. “You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me.” — Isaiah 43:10 (NASB)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. — Psalm 62:5-6 (NLT) Let us wait quietly for God to work all things together for good in our lives. Philippians 2:14 (NKJV) instructs us to do all things without complaining and disputing. The Amplified Bible says: do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God].  Wait with expectation and confidence. Our God is faithful. He will fulfill every promise He has made. His word does not return to Him empty, without accomplishing what He desires, and without succeeding in the matter for which He sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 NASB) So wait quietly, your hope in God will not be disappointed.

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the LORD will be exalted and safe. — Proverbs 29:25 (AMP) When you put your trust in people, you will surely be disappointed. However, when you totally trust in the LORD, He will not let you down. Come to Him with a humble and grateful heart, in complete confidence and full of expectation that He is all you need. There is no need you have that is too big for Him to handle. Jesus came that we may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10b) In His Presence there is no lack. He will fulfill your thirst and satisfy your hunger. Trust Him with all of your heart. They cried out to You and were delivered; They trusted in You and were not disappointed or ashamed. (Psalm 22:5 AMP)

Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation], but [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the LORD day by day. Surely there is a future [and a reward], and your hope and expectation will not be cut off. — Proverbs 23:17-18 (AMP) Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. (Psalm 42:5 AMP). Know that God is with you. Do not lose hope. Your hope will not be disappointed. Expect Him to do great things in you and in your life, as you sincerely seek Him and His will. … he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6b NKJV)

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. — Psalm 5:3 (NKJV) At a recent safe driving class, the instructor said, we tend to follow where our eyes go. Maybe that is why the Word of God tells us to look up. Why look up? Because that is where your help comes from. Psalm 121:1 says, “ I will lift up my eyes to the hills— from whence comes my help?”  Look up in expectation of an answer. Watch and wait for Him to speak to your heart (Psalm 5:3b AMP). Look up in expectation of seeing Him move on your behalf. Looking at circumstances may cause you to look down. But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. (Psalm 3:3 NKJV)

Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. — Romans 12:11-12 (MSG) The best way to stay full of His Spirit and on fire for the LORD, is to keep a constant connection with Him throughout your day, through prayer, praising and the giving of thanks. Let the difficulties and challenges draw you closer to Him. Look to our great God in cheerful expectation of the deliverance He will bring about in your life. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person is powerful and produces wonderful results. Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2 AMP)

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. — Proverbs 23:18 (NIV) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23 NIV). And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us...  (Romans 5:5a NLT). Let us continually look to our heavenly Father, full of expectation and hope, for our help comes from the LORD. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD (Psalm 31:24 NKJV).

My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him. — Psalm 62:5 (AMP) Frustration often comes when our reality doesn’t line up with our expectations. We expected something or someone to be a certain way, by a certain time and it has not happened yet. That is where we are to let patience work in us. May we continue to do our part and wait patiently for God’s perfect timing to bring about the desired outcome. Accepting where God has us right now, will keep us in His river of deep and abiding peace and we will just flow into whatever God has for us at the appointed time.

Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. — Psalm 61:1-2 (NKJV) Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope and expectation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken (Psalm 62:5-6). When your heart is overwhelmed, wait on the LORD to show you the way. Step by step, He will keep you on the path that leads to ultimate victory in the battles you face.

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) Remain confident that you will see the goodness of the LORD, while you are here in the land of the living. As you face difficulties and trials of all kinds, know that the LORD will strengthen your heart. Be of good courage and have great expectation to continually experience the goodness of our awesome God!

  God, the one and only—I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not? He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle: I’m set for life. — Psalm 62:1-2 (MSG) Let God and Him alone, occupy that number one spot in your heart, at all times. And after you have done all you can do, wait quietly before Him, with full expectation. All your days have been written in His book and that appointed time will come. For the vision is yet for an appointed time (Habakkuk 2:3). Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1, GW).

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; — Romans 12:12 (NKJV) Let us rejoice in hopeful expectation to see the Lord work in our lives and hearts. As long as our hope is anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will not be disappointed. We can be patient in all kinds of troubles and tribulations, knowing that Jesus has given us the victory. We are more than conquerors! Continue steadfastly in prayer because our help comes from the LORD. Amen!

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. — Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) The LORD awakens us morning by morning, and covers us with new compassions. He packs each new day full with bright promises and gives us a fresh start. It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to declare His lovingkindness in the morning (Psalm 92:1-2). Psalm 30:5 says, joy comes in the morning. Let us awaken the dawn and fix our eyes on Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). May your heart be filled with hope and expectation as you rise to face each new day.

As I see a flurry of halloween decorations and activities, I am reminded of the real horror in life. The truly horrific thing is to live without hope in your heart. Hope is the earnest  expectation that your future is better and more glorious than your past and your present; the belief that you will see the fulfillment of God’s promises and your dreams. To be alive and without hope is like being a zombie, the walking dead. Before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were in the world, dead in ours sins, and without hope (Ephesians 2:1, 12). But now in Christ Jesus we have been made alive and partakers of God’s wonderful promises. Put your hope in God and it will not be cut off. Hebrews 10:23 says, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.” — Jeremiah 17:7 (NKJV)

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You. — Psalm 33:20-22 (NKJV) Earnestly wait in expectation for Almighty God to show Himself mighty in your life. Our help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. God Most High is a shield around us. Take refuge in Him. Let your hope be in Him alone. When God is on our side, no one can stand against us.

But I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You are my God. My times are in Your hands; deliver me from the hands of my foes and those who pursue me and persecute me.  — Psalm 31:14-15 (AMP) Don't put your confidence in the things of this world. They are temporary, here today, gone tomorrow. Trust in and rely on the Lord. He never changes. You can depend on God to be there when you need Him most. Your future is in His hands and His plan is for good, not harm. Look forward to what God desires to do in your life with great expectation!

"But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don't go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that's coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36 (The Message) In a conversation about end times, Jesus warned his followers not to get distracted by worldly events. We are to watch, and pray for strength to endure all that will happen before Jesus returns. Amen.