Manna for Your Morning

“The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” — John 20:30-31 (NLT) In John 20:29, Jesus told Thomas: “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” No matter what events take place on this earth, may we continue to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, and be blessed. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” (Romans 10:11 NASB1995) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; Yeshua came that we may have life, and have it abundantly. (See John 10:10) Amen. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. — Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired. — Isaiah 40:30-31 (AMP) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired… He will neither slumber nor sleep. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. (Isaiah 40:28-29 & Psalm 121:4 NASB1995) Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. (Psalm 105:4 NASB1995) Deeply long for His presence. The LORD gives his people strength… (See Psalm 29:11 NLT)

‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,  — Jeremiah 32:17 (NASB1995) O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. (Psalm 92:5 NKJV) Never drift away, nor draw back from YAHWEH. Stay anchored in the Lord. Let us declare His lovingkindness in the morning, and His faithfulness every night. (See Psalm 92:2 NKJV) Whatever storms come, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies is faithful to bring you through it. Nothing is too difficult for Him. When you go through deep waters, He 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. (See Isaiah 43:2 NLT) Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory belongs to God in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time and eter...

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 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 5:6-7 (AMP) These two verses are often used separately, but I believe they go together as one. First we must set aside pride and admit that we can't do anything of value without God. He gives us the strength, wisdom and knowledge. In John 15:5 (NLT), Jesus said, apart from Him we can do nothing.  Once we humble ourselves and acknowledge that we need Him, we are able to cast all our cares upon Him, in full assurance that He is able to handle everything that concerns us. And we realize how much He cares for us with deepest affection, because He is faithful to deliver us from all of our troubles. He is the ...

  I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need. — Philippians 4:12 (AMP) The secret to getting along in any and every situation is to continually rely on our heavenly Father. Invest your energy into trusting God and believing His Word, instead of wasting energy worrying and trying to control circumstances that are beyond your control. Instead of letting your current situation determine your attitude and how you feel, connect your joy to His Presence, and experience fullness of joy because He is always with us. And remember Philippians 4:13.  I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anythin...

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind… — Job 38:1 (NKJV) Do not fear the storms of life. The storm won't outlast our mighty God. And Nahum 1:3 says, the LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm. His ways our higher than ours. Let what needs to be blown out of your life be carried away. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation. (Proverbs 10:25 NKJV) Stand firm on our strong foundation and watch for God to answer you out of the whirlwind. Out of the raging storm, the Eternal One answered Job. — Job 38:1 (VOICE)

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, — Psalm 103:1-3 (NKJV) Whenever we’re sick and in bed, God becomes our nurse, nurses us back to health. (Psalm 41:3 MSG)  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19) We may have many hardships and afflictions, but praise the LORD, He will deliver us each and every time.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.” — Isaiah 30:15 (NLT) With today’s multi-tasking, always-on-the-go lifestyle, we are constantly caught up in a flurry of activities, that will serve as distractions and cause us to drift away from the LORD. May we remember to unplug and unwind. Return to Him and rest in quietness and in confident expectation, that He will enable you to do all that He has called you to do. Settle down in complete dependence on Him. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” — Psalm 46:10 (MSG)

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. — Galatians 5:25 (NLT) My beloved brethren, there is no greater joy than abiding in the presence of Almighty God and basking in the wonderful light of His love. And the greatest peace we can ever have is knowing we are walking aligned to God’s perfect will. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives (Galatians 5:25 MSG). If we look to Him, He is faithful to show us the way and provide what we need for each step.

Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (MSG) As we shed all pretense and remove the barriers that block our intimacy with God, we are transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. First we have to let God enter our lives (hearts and minds), then we become more like Him. And our lives grow brighter and more beautiful as they reflect God’s Ways and His Word.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: — Romans 12:6a (NKJV) We all have a variety of gifts, given to us by God. For a gift to be of benefit to anyone, it must be accepted, opened and put to use. If we are to enjoy our gifts and talents we have to unwrap them, and explore how we may use them to be a blessing. Just as a muscle that is not used begins to waste away over time, a gift that is not used as God purposed, is a waste. Be sure to use your gifts and talents. You don’t have to wait until January 1st and make it a new years'  resolution. Don’t let the music die inside of you. Sing your song now!

You are all around me—in front of me and in back of me. You lay your hand on me. Such knowledge is beyond my grasp. It is so high I cannot reach it.  — Psalm 139:5-6 (GW) The reassuring presence of the LORD goes before us and in back of us. Even in the storms, remember, you have not been abandoned nor forgotten. Our heavenly Father is with you and He is working for your good. With His powerful arm, He protects us on every side. His hand of blessing is upon us, to give us a future filled with hope.

O LORD, you are my God. I will highly honor you; I will praise your name. You have done miraculous things. You have been completely reliable in carrying out your plans from long ago. Isaiah 25:1 (GW) Our God is completely reliable. We can count on Him, to see us through every situation and circumstance. While others may fail us, we can depend on the LORD. In perfect faithfulness, He has done wonderful things. He has been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rain, and shade from the heat (Isaiah 25:4). Praise the LORD!

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Mark 4:37-38 (NAS) As we experience stormy times, it may appear that the Lord is sleeping, but that is not true. He has everything under control. He knows about the storm before it hits and He has already made a way through. When the disciples woke Jesus up, He rebuked the wind and told the sea to be still and it became perfectly calm. In Isaiah 43:2, God promises, "when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." The Lord cares about you. You are in His hands and no one can snatch you out.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT) Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1). When the hurdles seem too high, remember we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). This race is not one of speed, but of perseverance. Those who keep the faith until they cross the finish line win. Keep pressing on toward the heavenly prize of spending eternity in the presence of Almighty God, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). Glory hallelujah! Love, Jackie

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32 (NIV) If you are a disciple of Jesus, then you will know the truth and it will set you free. When we know the truth we are set free from worry, anxiety and depression. Truth destroys the shackles of fear. We are no longer enslaved to sin. Know the truth and walk in freedom.