Manna for Your Morning

Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing. — James 1:2-4 (VOICE) In the midst of every difficulty and challenge continue to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. (See 2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV) …thanks be to God, who keeps giving us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! (1 Corinthians 15:57 TLV)

Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. — Psalm 42:11 (AMP) Hold onto your hope in God. It serves as an anchor, holding you close to the Lord, and keeping you from drifting away by the waves of doubt and fear. This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], (Hebrews 6:19 AMP) So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, living before his face is my saving grace! — Psalm 42:11 (TPT)

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. — 2 Corinthians 4:8 (NLT) We may experience pressure on all sides and various afflictions, but we do not give up. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT) Lift up your eyes to the mountains; from where shall your help come? Your help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2) Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. — 2 Corinthians 4:8 (TPT)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. — Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) Don’t allow your faith to be shipwrecked. Fix your hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people. This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], (Hebrews 6:19 AMP). 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)

And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; — Romans 5:3 (AMP) The Voice translation says, “ We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer we develop endurance ” (Romans 5:3). How can we celebrate in seasons of suffering? Because 1) It's momentary. It will pass, seasons come and seasons go. 2) God is with us, and 3) He has given us the ultimate victory. May we strive to press on to maturity and to finish the race before us with joy, like the Apostle Paul. And don’t grumble, whine or complain about current circumstances, because we are citizens of a Kingdom that is unshakable. Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. — James 1:2-...

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) You may be harassed at every turn and troubled on every side, but let faith and endurance produce its perfect result so that you may be completely developed in your faith, lacking nothing. The Message Bible says, consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. (James 1:4) Keep fighting the good fight of faith.

This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells], — Hebrews 6:19 (AMP) “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:7 NKJV) Our hope in Christ is is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls… It holds us firm and secure in stormy times. When the winds of adversity blow, it keeps us from being tossed to and fro in a sea of uncertainty. So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD! (Psalm 31:24 NLT)

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  — James 1:2-4 (MSG) Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12 AMP). And don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let patience have its perfect work. Abraham and Sarah waited for many years for the fulfillment of God’s promise and in Genesis 21:2, Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. God has is a set time for you too. When you are pressured by troubles on all sides, know that God is working for your good. While you patiently wait, be...

  Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out. — 1 Thessalonians 5:13-15 (MSG) We are similar to priceless gems, diamonds in the rough. We all have the potential to shine, with the love and light of the LORD. Diamonds are formed under high temperature and pressure conditions beneath the earth’s surface. They undergo a refining process (removal of impurities) before they sparkle and shine. God can use the fiery trials and high pressure conditions we experience in life, to remove what is not of Him from our lives and draw our hearts closer to Him. We too are in a refining process. When we respond...

The LORD will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. — Psalm 29:11 (AMP) The strength the LORD gives us is unyielding. It doesn’t cave in, under pressure and it doesn’t quit, in times of difficulty. We grow tired and weary when we try to do things in our human strength.  Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life.  (Romans 8:6 MSG). When we are open to God’s will and allow His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, His supernatural strength carries us, and our strength is renewed. We will soar on wings like eagles; we will run and not grow weary, we will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31).

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. — James 1:2-4 (MSG) Don’t despise the day of trials and tests. In the rubble of our troubles, we find a wealth of hidden treasures: patience is produced, knowledge and wisdom gained, and persistence is developed. As we work through the debris of our difficulties, our faith is strengthened, we experience a fuller, deeper level of love and trust in God and we grow in maturity. These are the qualities that enable us to fulfill our purpose and realize our dreams.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. — James 1:2-4 (MSG) Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4 NIV). How do we become overcomers, if we never have any obstacles to come over? How do we consider it pure joy (James 1:2 NIV), when we encounter various trials? Because we know Jesus has already given us the victory! Hallelujah! So let us persevere and continue to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). And be of good cheer because Jesus, has overcome the world (John 16:33).

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. — 2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 (NIV) Sometimes, life events may cause us to wonder if we are going to live through them. However, when we are totally overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, we learn to rely only on God. Any strength or power we have, comes from our great God, not from ourselves. We may be pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We may be perplexed, but we are not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but we are never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed! (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). So we can get back up again. Amen and Hallelujah!

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. — Romans 5:3 (AMP) Regardless of any troubles and sufferings, we can be full of joy right now, knowing that patient endurance is the outcome. Patient endurance is what we need now, so that we will continue to do God’s will. Then we will receive all that He has promised (Hebrews 10:36 NLT). When our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:4 NLT). Therefore… let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1 NLT).

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!