Manna for Your Morning

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. — Matthew 11:28 (NKJV) Jesus calls all who are tired of laboring and all who have heavy loads to come to Him. He will give you rest. In the Message Bible, He says: “ I’ll show you how to take a real rest. ” When we spend time in His Presence, He refreshes our souls and renews the right spirit within us. He fills us with His peace and gives us strength to persevere. If you are empty, let Him fill your cup to overflowing. (Psalm 23:5 NCV) Take a real rest and rely on His help. Wherever you are, His hand shall lead you, and His right hand shall hold you. (Psalm 139:10 NKJV) So, don’t be afraid, for He is with you. Don’t be discouraged, for He is your God. He will strengthen you and help you. He will hold you up with His victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. — Revelation 2:10 (NKJV) Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you (1 Peter 4:2). Suffering brings about great fruit. A diamond has to be cut and polished before it sparkles. Before the championship game can be won, we must experience the pain and soreness of practice. Before the baby is born, one must go through the pain of labor. Jesus bled and suffered for us to enjoy the fruit of fellowship with the Father. Do not fear the suffering. You have the greater One living inside of you. Be faithful to the end. In Jesus, we have the victory!

...casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. — 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) Why are you carrying your cares? The Word says cast ALL your cares and concerns on God. Our big, mighty God is able to handle anything and everything you give to Him. He cares so much about you, He doesn’t want to see you all stressed out and fretting the future. He wants to take care of everything that concerns you. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NKJV). If you have something laying heavy on your heart today, give it to God, once and for all, and walk in His peace and joy.

Love suffers long and is kind; — 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV) God put these 3 words on my heart this morning: love suffers long. Then He added, do all things without complaining (Philippians 2:14). We do not like to suffer, but it’s a part of life. And we have the comfort of knowing that God will cause ALL things to work together for good. Like childbirth, we must go through the pain of delivery to enjoy holding a beautiful baby in our arms. How long must we suffer? As long as we need to. Labor times vary in duration. Tell yourself, “I will until!” Continue until what is in you has been birthed into reality. We live in a microwave, disposable society. We want everything quick and when something no longer works for us, we throw it away. Our God us above and beyond a crock pot, He is doing in us, a work of perfection, not to be rushed or taken lightly.

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake. — Psalm 23:3 (AMP) The LORD says, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
 the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust,” (Joel 2:25 NKJV). He will restore all that the enemy has stolen. In Matthew 11:28 (AMP), Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” Come to Jesus and be refreshed!

Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. — Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT) To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV). The time of planting and cultivating the seed for any endeavor may be labor intensive and cause us to weep, but continue on, no matter what difficulties you face. Endure the struggle! The Message Bible says, those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing (Psalm 126:6). So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up (Galatians 6:9 NLT)!

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. — Luke 1:30-31 (NKJV)  You, my beloved, have found favor with God. May you continue to believe the wonderful promises God has spoken to you beyond the point of their conception in your heart. Just as Mary continued to carry the Baby within her until the days were completed for her to deliver, we have to carry our seed of promise and regularly nurture it with the Word of God. Once it is fully developed, we have to endure the pains of labor and keep pushing on until the time of delivery. Then comes that appointed time, when that which is conceived in us is birthed into reality. Amen and Hallelujah!

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. — 1 Corinthians 15:8 (NKJV) There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NAS). The Apostle Paul, persecuted the church of God, until the appointed time: that day on the road to Damascus, when the Lord opened his eyes to see the light of the truth (Acts 9). In due time, Sarah gave birth to the child of promise. What might you give birth to, in due time?  Do not grow weary in doing well. Passionately pursue your dreams, and in due time you will see the fruit of your labor.

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” — Revelation 3:8 (NKJV) God is well aware of all the things you do. Rest assured that any labor you have done in the Lord is not vain. You may have little strength because you have persevered through many storms, but take heart you shall overcome. Behold, God is doing a new thing! He has set before you an open door, a fresh start. And any door that God opens for you, no one can shut, but you must stop looking back, and walk through the open door in order to move on. Don't get stuck trying to force a closed door open that you miss out on the future opportunities that the open door has for you.

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,
 anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones . — Psalm 127:2 (NLT)  It is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the LORD that we accomplish anything of value and lasting significance. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” —Matthew 11:28, (AMP). Continually come to Jesus and find rest for your weary soul.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] — Matthew 11:28 (AMP) Are you weary and overburdened? Jesus says, “Come to Me.” In Him we find rest for our souls. Take the yoke of Jesus upon you and learn of Him, for He is gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls (Matthew 11:29). His burden is light and easy to be borne (Matthew 11:30).

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and be confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort. Stand firm and do what God has called you to do. Don't be moved by circumstances, what others have to say or your emotions. Persevere and press on. Greater things are yet to be done!