Manna for Your Morning

“…this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all: I saw God before me for all time. Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side. I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope. I know you’ll never dump me in Hades; I’ll never even smell the stench of death. You’ve got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around.” — Acts 2:23-28 (MSG) Our Savior is raised up! The tomb is empty. Pitch your tent in the land of hope and walk on the life-path with Jesus. He is right by your side. … But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! (1 Corinthians 15:56-57 MSG)

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. — 1 Samuel 17:50 (NKJV) Goliath, the Philistine had taunted the Israelites for forty days, morning and evening. (1 Samuel 17:16) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. (1 Samuel 17:24) But when David heard the words of Goliath, he said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26) In 1 Samuel 17:50, David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. The Israelites were intimidated by the size of Goliath, but David knew his God was bigger. Don’t be intimated or overwhelmed by the size of your problem, know that our God is bigger. Rely on Him and you will prevail.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” Joshua 10:8 (NIV) Joshua and his army marched all night and came upon their enemies suddenly. As they fled before Israel, the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword  (Joshua 10:9,11). In some battles we face, we need to march all night; march on in prayer, in fasting, and in praise and worship. In all battles, we need to use our sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Stand on it, speak it out of your mouth and do not be moved away from the Word. That means, don't even entertain any thoughts which are contrary to the Word. When we do what we can in the natural, our heavenly Father adds His supernatural and we are assured of victory in every battle. Amen!

In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up. We’re persecuted, but we’re not abandoned. We’re captured, but we’re not killed. — 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (GW) No matter how many troubles you may have, the LORD delivers the righteous out of ALL their troubles (Psalm 34:17). Don't allow your frustrations to drive you to despair. Remember that God is with you! He has not run out on you. God will lead you through every adversity to the other side. He will take you to a higher place. Amen!

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. — Romans 12:1 (The Message) God gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. The Son of Man suffered many things and was rejected and killed. But on the third day He was raised to life (Luke 9:22). Let us embrace all that Jesus died to give us, FREEDOM from sin and bondage, VICTORY over death, and abundant & everlasting LIFE!