Manna for Your Morning

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God...” — Luke 3:8a (NLT) May we not just honor Yahweh with our words, but with our actions as well. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person... (See Romans 12:2) Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. (Galatians 6:9 AMP) I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ (Hosea 10:12 NLT) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  (Galatians 6:7 NKJV)

“You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid your hand on me!” — Psalms 139:3-5 (TPT) Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 LSB) No matter what you go through, He will be with you. He will not fail you nor abandon you. He cares about you with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully. (See 1 Peter 5:7 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]. — Psalms 84:12 (AMP)

O taste and see that the LORD [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him. — Psalm 34:8 (AMP) YAHWEH is good and His plans for us are good. Anyone who puts trust in Him will be blessed and comforted. (See Psalm 34:8 VOICE) So we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 VOICE) It is because of the LORD’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 AMP) 

For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ — Acts 17:28 (AMP) See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! (See 1 John 3:1a AMP) Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. (Ephesians 5:1 NLT) Because His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts, let us follow His example. Love others with an unconditional love that never fails. Freely we have received from God, let us also freely give. (See Matthew 10:8) Help those in need, just as Yahweh helps the needy. Psalm 72:12 (NKJV) says: He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper. Live as children of the light, because God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. (See 1 John 1:5) …for you were for...

That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind. This is the message that at the proper time God gave to the world . — 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (TLB) Christ Jesus united God and humanity. In John 17:22-23 (AMP), Jesus said: “I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me.” In Jesus, we live and move and have our being. (See Acts 17:28) Let us live in constant connection and communion, with Jesus, Abba Father and the Holy Spirit. Apart from this vital union we can do nothing, of any lasting value.

Yet as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last, He will take His stand on the earth. — Job 19:25 (NASB) Psalm 78:35 (VOICE) says, after all they had endured, they remembered that God, the Most High, was their Rock, their Redeemer. No matter what you go through, always remember that the Most High God is our Rock and our Redeemer. Nothing is too difficult for Him. This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” (Isaiah 48:17 NLT) …“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you [from captivity]; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” (Isaiah 43:1b AMP)

But even there, if you seek God, your God, you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won’t bring you to ruin, he won’t forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them. — Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (MSG) Come back to God and listen to what He says. Wholeheartedly seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. Strive after His heart and character, more than His hand and He will give you everything you need.

But now, God’s Message,  the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior. — Isaiah 43:1-3 (MSG) When you feel like you're in over your head, remember God said, “ I’ll be there .” What more could we want or need? We have the great Creator of the universe, and all it contains, promising to be with us always, from beginning to end. He knit you together in the womb of your mother and He has all your days written in His book. (Psalm 139:16) When you are absent from the body, you will be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) No matter what we go through, we have God, our Savior. Amen.

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” — Mark 15:33-34  (NKJV) Just as Jesus had to go through the dark hour of Friday, to get to the glory of resurrection day, we too will go through some dark times, as we go from glory to glory. In the difficult seasons, it may seem that God has forsaken you, but know that He is with you and He has already made a way for you. Let us declare the words of Job 19:25-26,  “ For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God! ”

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you. — Psalm 63:2-4 (MSG) We really start to live, when we open our hearts to receive the generous love of God. His lovingkindness is better than life itself. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. Jesus came that we may have life, and that we may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. — 2 Corinthians 9:8 (AMP) The enemy wants us to focus on fears and lack. However, as we trust God and freely give, He multiplies the blessings back to us in abundance. As we sow the seeds our heavenly Father provides, they come back to us in wave after wave, seeds of joy, seeds of love, financial seeds, etc. Freely you have received, freely give!

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. — Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you (Isaiah 43:2 NLT). You may be going through extremely difficult times right now, but the LORD is with you, He will help you and He will bring you through.

But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. — Psalm 73:28 (NLT) Let let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings (Hebrews 10:22, NIV). Psalm 73:28 in The Message says, I’m in the very presence of God—oh, how refreshing it is! Our weary souls are revived in the Presence of the LORD. In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). There is no greater delight on earth, or in heaven than the joy of daily abiding in His Presence all of our days! We are abundantly satisfied with His goodness, when we make the LORD our shelter. Come close to God, and God will come close to you (James 4:8, NLT)

I will give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart. I will tell about all the miracles you have done. I will find joy and be glad about you. I will make music to praise your name, O Most High.  — Psalm 9:2 (GW) Sometimes joy evades us, we have to seek it out. Let us find joy in the simple blessings of life: roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs. Find joy in the love of family and friends. We take all these things for granted, yet there are many who lack these needful things. Most of all, we can take joy in God, our Savior. Rejoice that our God loves you and that His Son, Jesus Christ died for us that we may have eternal fellowship with our heavenly Father. Find joy and be glad for all the wonderful works the LORD has done in your midst!

The quarrel was becoming violent, and the officer was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So the officer ordered his soldiers to drag Paul back to the barracks. The Lord stood near Paul the next night and said to him, “Don’t lose your courage! You’ve told the truth about me in Jerusalem. Now you must tell the truth about me in Rome.”  — Acts 23:10-11 (GW) Whatever challenges come your way, be encouraged, knowing that the Lord stands near you. In Isaiah 43:2, He says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not be preoccupied with an evildoer who succeeds in his way when he carries out his schemes. Psalm 37:7 (GW) When we surrender to the LORD, we stop trying to force our way and relinquish control (what little we thought we had). We give up our ways for His higher and better ways. We submit to a heavenly Father who loves us and wants only the best for us. Life is so much sweeter when we wait patiently for Him, for His perfect will. Wait. He will give the answer. He will show you the way. God will provide whatever you need: healing, wholeness, peace, joy, direction, etc. The list goes on and on. And it will come to pass in His perfect timing.

Then Gideon said, "Sir, if the Lord is with us, why are we having so much trouble?" Judges 6:13 (NCV) When the challenges come in one wave after another, many of us have felt like Gideon. We wonder why? God never promised that we wouldn't have trials and sorrows. He did promise to be with us and get us through them. Jesus said, “in the world you will have tribulation,” but He also said, “be of good cheer because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJ). Did you notice the past tense on the word: overcome? He has already established the victory for us. So let us count it all joy when we fall into various trials, and in the end we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4, NKJ). Amen. Love, Jackie

Jesus said to them, "... it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." John 6:32-33 (NIV) Jesus declared that He was the bread of life. Those who come to Him will never go hungry. Everyone who believes in Him shall have eternal life in heaven. However, Jesus also gives us a more abundant life on this earth. Partake of the bread of life and be filled with His overflowing peace, joy and love. Savor His grace and mercy. Praise the Lord for He gives life to the world. Love, Jackie