Manna for Your Morning

John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”  — Matthew 11:2-3 (NLT) The woman *said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (John 14:25-26 NASB) Jesus is the Expected One, the Messiah. There is no other. Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6 NASB) “ Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome …” — Revelation 5:5 (NASB)

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. — Ephesians 2:13 (NASB) The nearness of God is our good... (Psalm 73:8). Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (Ephesians 2:18 NLT) We have been given 24-hour access to the throne room of God. That's better than backstage passes for your favorite artist/performer. This is more exciting than club or box seats at the football game of your choice. What an honor and privilege, that we can approach the throne of God with confidence. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. (Hebrews 4:16 TPT) Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. — Isaiah 55:6 (NASB)

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: — Psalm 103:1-2 (NKJV) Never forget the goodness of our great God and all the wonderful ways He blesses His people. He is everything that we will ever need. He is a constant Companion and a Faithful Friend forever. He is our GPS, as He leads us and guides us along on the path of life. He is our Healer, and the One who makes us whole. He is our Champion; our battles belong to Him and He has given us the victory! Because of Jesus, we are more than conquerors, we overcome. The LORD is kind and compassionate, full of mercy and grace. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10 NKJV) He delivered us out of the domain of darkness and brought us into His family. Oh what manner of love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! He loved us first and chose us bef...

“Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!” — Isaiah 44:8 (NLT) Jesus once asked the twelve disciples, “ Do you also want to go away? ” (John 6:67)   But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69) There is no other Rock, except our mighty God. He is the solid Rock on whom you can stand. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6 NKJV) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT) And nothing is too difficult for Him.

“At the beginning You founded the earth; The heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.” — Psalm 102:25-27 (AMP) The world around us is constantly changing, but we can always count on our heavenly Father to be the same loving and faithful God that He is. 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. For He is the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43:2-3a NLT) The Message Bible says, When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God... (Isaiah 42:2-3). We things seem impossible, we can count on Him to make a way. “ For I am the LORD,...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13 (NIV) As we put all our trust in God and stand on His Word, our hearts will overflow with hope. Our wonder-working God is the source of hope. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19a NIV). This living hope will hold us steady in the storms of life, and enable us to walk in perfect peace and abundant joy. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:5 NLT).

“There is the sound of war in the camp.” — Exodus 32:17 (NIV) Wake up! We are in a war. Every day we are in the midst of a battle. In Revelation 12:17, the devil declared war with the woman and the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Let us be good soldiers. Good soldiers stay focused on the mission of the Commanding Officer. 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). Good soldiers do not quit in the middle of the battle. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). Get your boots on the ground and stay engaged in the good fight of faith. The PRICE is the war that must be fought, but the PRIZE is the wedding to come (Revelation 21:1-4). March on good soldiers, with your eyes on the prize!

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. — 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT) Avoid shipwreck! Keep your conscience clear and tightly hold on to your faith in Christ. He is our Life Preserver. Don't be moved by the winds of adversity nor tossed to and fro by violent waves. If we keep the faith and remember that we have the victory in Jesus, we can weather any storm and keep sailing on course, to our desired destination.

“For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.”  — 2 Samuel 22:32-33 (NKJV) God has begun a work of perfection in each one of us. As we allow His power and strength to work through us and guide us along on the path of life, our way will be secure. The LORD, our God is an immovable rock, we can rely on Him at all times, and in every situation. Praise the LORD!

Being united with God is my highest good. I have made the Almighty LORD my refuge so that I may report everything that he has done. Psalm 73:28 (GW) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Being united with our heavenly Father is our highest good. The person who is joined to the Lord is one with Him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). And as long as we stand with God, no one will be able to stand against us. No weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). With God's powerful presence at work in us, we are more than conquerors.

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Psalm 30:11-12 (NLT) God takes our sorrow and gives us something to dance about. He removes our dark, heavy clothes of mourning and gives us a light garment of praise. Give thanks to the Lord always!

Jesus replied, "Go tell that fox that I will keep casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose." Luke 13:32 (NLT) Even when faced with the news that Herod wanted to kill Him, Jesus remained focused on completing His mission. Let us stay focused on accomplishing the purposes for which God created us. May we fight the good fight of faith and complete the course God has laid before each one of us. Love, Jackie

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him... Hebrews 5:8 (NIV) Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered and the result was eternal salvation for all who follow Him. May we learn to obey God in every challenge we face. God is faithful to work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Love, Jackie