Manna for Your Morning

“Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” — Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT) Giving attention to sideshow distractions often lead to delays and detours that will leave us in dark ditches and on dead end roads. “…With fixed purpose, looking straight ahead, ignore life’s distractions.” (See Proverbs 4:25 TPT)  The distractions of this world will hinder you from moving forward on the path Yahweh has marked out for you. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7 NASB1995) “The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.” (Proverbs 21:8 NLT)  “Walk straight—live well and be saved; a devious life is a doomed life.” — Proverbs 28:1...

Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine], and restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways. — Psalms 119:37 (AMP) Don't be ignorant of the devil’s devices, nor follow worldly ways. Distractions often draw us away from our heavenly Father, out of His Word, and down some dark alley or dead-end road that results in sin, death and destruction. Genesis 3:6 says: Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes… Judges 14:1 (NLT) says: One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. And in 2 Samuel 11:2, as King David was walking on the roof of the palace, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. In each case, what they saw with their eyes, led them down the slippery slope to sin.  Beware of the things that catch the attention of your eyes. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of...

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from Yahweh, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to stumble; He who keeps you will not slumber. — Psalms 121:1-3 (LSB) Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. (Psalm 54:4 NASB1995) Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. (Psalms 146:3-5 NLT) So take comfort and be encouraged. We can confidently say, “The LORD is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” (See Hebrews 13:6 AMP) The LORD is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, 
and with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him. — Psalms 28:7...

Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” — Judges 14:3 (NASB1995) Everything that looks good to us, is not necessarily good for us. Genesis 3:6 says: Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, and we see the result of that situation. O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! (Psalm 34:8) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1 John 2:16) Therefore, Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus and run  with endurance the race that is set before us.  May we profess, as King David did in Psalm 101:3 (...

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. — Psalms 121:1-2, 8 (NASB1995) Lift up your eyes to Yahweh. He is always ready to help in times of trouble. (See Psalm 46:1 NLT) The LORD supports all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:14 NASB) “…hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows.” (Psalms 130:7 NLT)  “I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” (Psalms 130:5 NLT) The LORD has plans for us for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. (See Jeremiah 29:11 AMP) Look to Him, in all situations.

“ O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You. ” — 2 Chronicles 20:12 (NASB) When you don’t know what to do, look to the Lord for His direction. He will guide you along the right path. His power finds its full expression through our weakness. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9 TPT) Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. (See Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT) With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. — 2 Kings 6:15-17 (NLT) Do not fear, for there are more with us than with the devil. The LORD will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11) May your eyes be open to see every situation through eyes of faith. You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me, and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder. — Psalm 139:5 (VOICE)

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2 (NASB) The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 121:5-8 NLT) Lift up your eyes. 'Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.’  — Isaiah 41:10 (TPT)

‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD … — Jeremiah 29:13-14a (NASB) Diligently seek the LORD, and His will on a daily, moment by moment basis. Require Him as a vital necessity. You will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. May we have eyes that see clearly, listening ears, and understand with our hearts, all that God speaks to us. The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. — Psalm 19:1-2 (NASB)

So we do not set our sights on the things we can see with our eyes. All of that is fleeting; it will eventually fade away. Instead, we focus on the things we cannot see, which live on and on. — 2 Corinthians 4:18 (VOICE) Don’t look at the things which we can see with our natural eyes, for the things which are visible are temporary. Instead let us focus our attention on the things which are invisible, for they are everlasting and imperishable. Fix your eyes on our great God. May we have eyes to see His amazing love and great grace. “ Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. ” — Isaiah 6:3 (NASB)

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. — Colossians 3:1-2 (MSG) I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:1-3 NKJV) 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) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. — Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. — Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) We were created in Jesus, for good works. Many believers focus so hard on the work they are doing for Him, that it becomes a chore and they totally lose sight of the Savior. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Stay focused on Jesus and let the Holy Spirit do the work in you and through you to bring about the Father’s perfect will. And always remember, whatever God has called you to do, it is a “GOOD” work. We can also be confident that whatever God has called us to, He has already given us the victory. Amen! No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. — Romans 8:37 (NLT)

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)

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. — Psalm 42:11 (MSG) When we keep our eyes fixed on God, our hope in Him is alive and well. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, (Psalm 146:5 NKJV) We can smile at the future because we know, with His help, all things are possible. The hope of the righteous will be gladness, (Proverbs 10:28a). Sailors put out the anchor when they want to keep the boat in place. In stormy times, we have to let hope serve as our trustworthy anchor, sure and steadfast. Hope will hold us close to our Savior.  Let us be constantly rejoicing in hope because of our confidence in Christ, (Romans 12:12a AMP).

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. — Proverbs 4:25 (ESV) Quit looking in the rearview mirror of your life and look straight ahead keeping your eyes on Jesus, the good Shepherd and what He is doing in your midst. The Message Bible says: Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. (Proverbs 4:25-26) The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Proverbs 4:18 NASB) That means your best days are ahead of you. Today is a new day and God is doing a new thing. If God woke you up this morning, He has a purpose and a plan for you to accomplish with this day. Move onward and forward, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. ... I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back . —...

How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run under your wings, to eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water. You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light. — Psalm 36:7-9 (MSG) Run, don't walk. Be eager to take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Our heavenly Father feeds us from the abundance of His house. In the shadow of His wings, we have His protection and His provision. As we abide with Him, He opens our eyes to see the light of His magnificent love. He reveals the light of truth. Abba Father keeps us in His perfect peace, in the midst of the storms, and we find strength to persevere. Run under His Wings.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. — Hebrews 12:1-2a (NLT) Let us lay aside every weight, anything that slows us down, and run our race with endurance. Instead of telling your neighbor how to run their race, keep your eyes on Jesus and press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14 NLT) ...he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13 NKJV)

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. — 2 Samuel 22:33-34 (NIV) It is God who woke you up today. It is God who gave you ears to hear and eyes to see (Proverbs 20:12). As surely as the sun rises, He pours out fresh, new mercies on you each morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). It is God who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Psalm 103:4-5). It is God who goes before you to show you the way, and acts as your rear guard to protect you from the enemy. It is the Lord who stands by your side, when all others abandon you. It is God who enables you to stand secure and confident on your high places. Let us worship Almighty God, who is worthy of all praise, honor and glory!

When Elisha’s servant arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:14-15) So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. — 2 Kings 6:16-17 (NKJV) When you wake up in the morning and it seems like the enemy has you surrounded, remember,  there are more on our side than on theirs! Greater is the One in us than he who is in the world. Do not fear, for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. (Psalm 91:11) The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7) I pray the LORD open your eyes that you may see with eyes of faith...

But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord; in You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute. — Psalm 141:8 (NKJV) The most effective and beneficial move we can make, in any and every situation is to keep our eyes on the LORD, our God. As Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water, but when he looked at the external conditions, the wind, around him, he got fearful and started to sink (Matthew 14:28-30). With our eyes on Jesus we can do the extraordinary. In Matthew 14:19-21, Jesus took five loaves and two fish, and looked up to heaven. He then proceeded to feed five thousand men, besides women and children. They all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the leftover fragments (Matthew 14:19-21). When we look to the Provider, He will take care of the provision. Instead of examining the complexities of the challenges, keep your eyes on the Lord and entertain the possibilities of our great God. We keep looking to the LORD our God for his...