Manna for Your Morning

[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God … — Hebrews 12:2 (AMP) Look to the LORD our God. Our help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (See Psalm 121:2) He will not allow your foot to slip; The LORD is your keeper; The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121:3a,5a,7,8 NASB) May we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and on accomplishing the goal He has set before us. We stay focused on Jesus (the Livng Word) by faithfully standing on the Word, and not being shaken by earthly circumstances. Remember, Jesus has already overcome the world.

 I 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) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, (Philippians 3:13 NASB) Stop longing for things of the past and reach forward. We have an upward call of God in Christ Jesus. A call to go higher and deeper. Let us press on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1). Hosea 6:3 says, let us press on to know the LORD. I will press on—moving steadfastly forward along Your path. I will not look back. I will not stumble. — Psalm 17:5 (VOICE)

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. — Romans 12:2 (MSG) Instead of copying the ways of this world, let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. May we fix our attention on God and renew our minds, with His Word. This will elevate our thoughts, because His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. As our minds are renewed, we will be able to recognize His perfect will and respond to it, with a sense of urgency. Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.  — Proverbs 4:23 (GNT)

Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. — Romans 12:2 (NCV) 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. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2  MSG) Instead of being shaped by this world, let us be ambassadors for Christ who influence the worl...

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. — Luke 21:34 (NKJV) Don’t let the cares of this world distract you and choke the living Word out of you. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. (Luke 8:14 NLT) These people let the enemy steal the Word away from them and therefore, it does not bear any fruit in their lives. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:4 NKJV) As good soldiers of Jesus Christ, let us stay mission-minded and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. — Romans 12:2 (MSG) As we focus on our heavenly Father and all His wonderful attributes, we will become more like Him (loving, kind, gentle, etc.). When we pay close attention to His Word, we allow God to transform us by changing the way we think. He will mold us and shape us and bring the best out of us. May we be captivated by His love and thankful for all that He is doing in our lives here and now.

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. — Romans 5:3-4 (AMP) As we endure the challenges of this life, we can be sure that our faith is being strengthened, patience is produced and our character is being develop and growing in maturity. And this kind of character creates a joyful and confident hope within us. This hope never disappoints or deludes because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts. (Romans 5:5) Because God loves us and is working all things together for good, we will not be disappointed!

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. — Ephesians 4:1 (NIV) As any parent can attest, we only want the best for our children. We want to see them do well and excel in life. Our heavenly Father desires the same for us. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity (Hebrews 6:1a, NIV). May we live the dynamic life, full of freedom, power, and joy, that Jesus paid the price for us to have! Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22, NAS). Stand firm and mature [in spiritual growth], convinced and fully assured in everything willed by God (Colossians 4:12b, AMP).

For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. — 2 Corinthians 7:5 (NIV) No matter what harassment comes, instead of getting distracted by the enemy, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is the Source of our faith, also its Finisher, bringing it to maturity and perfection (AMP). And His perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. — Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) It is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) God has called us with a holy calling. Let us strive to live holy lives. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness (Romans 6:19, NIV). We are to be presented to Jesus as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27, NKJV). Let us press on to maturity and holiness!

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. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. — Romans 121-:2 (The Message) Fix your attention on God, and embrace all that He does for you. Readily recognize what His desire is for you and quickly respond to it. Then, you will be changed from the inside out and God will bring the best out of you. It all starts with us taking our eyes off of ourselves and putting them on God.

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, — Hebrews 6:1 (NIV) The writer of Hebrews says, the believer’s were spiritually dull and didn’t seem to listen (Hebrews 5:11, NLT). They had been believers so long, they should have been teaching others. Instead, they needed someone to teach them again the basic things about God’s word. They were like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food (Hebrews 5:12). Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14, NIV). Let us be spiritually sharp and alert so we can consistently use our will to persevere, overcome obstacles and press on to maturity!

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, Hebrews 6:1 (NIV) Don’t be satisfied with surface living. If we want to see real change in our lives we need to become intimately acquainted with Jesus Christ. Anyone who says they are a Christian should be making a conscious, deliberate effort to know Him and then constantly be in the process of becoming like Him, having the same kind of compassion, always concerned about the needs of others, forgiving, etc. Let us go deeper in our relationship with the Lord.

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2 (The Message) Instead of conforming to the ways of this world, we are to renew our minds by the Word and God will transform us from the little worm into the beautiful butterfly. As we enclose ourselves in the cocoon of His wonderful Word, we are changed from the inside out. Fix your attention on God and let Him bring out the best in you. Love, Jackie