Manna for Your Morning

But as for me, I will wait and hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. — Psalm 71:14 (AMP) I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. (Psalm 34:1 NLT)  The Message Bibles says, I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. (Psalm 34:1) When we magnify the LORD, our problems become smaller and the enormity of our God is revealed. Don't let anything stop you from praising our mighty God. No matter what, I’ll trust in you to help me. Nothing will stop me from praising you to magnify your glory!   (Psalm 71:14 TPT) Our personal praise is so powerful. When we praise Him, it changes the atmosphere and creates a new perspective. (Pastor Matthew Pollock)

“Behold, I am with you and will keep [careful watch over you and guard] you wherever you may go, and I will bring you back to this [promised] land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” — Genesis 28:15 (AMP) No need to worry because God is watching over you. The LORD is with you and He keeps careful watch over you. He is faithful to fulfill all His promises, because He watches over His Word to perform it. Instead of putting your mental energy into worrying about problems, set your mind on our mighty God, and His faithfulness. Then you will trust Him to handle your concerns and you can enjoy the pleasure and privilege of His Presence. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 NKJV)

For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. — Psalm 21:6 (NKJV) If we have allowed the enemy to steal our joy, we have probably been focusing on our problems instead of His Presence. Instead of external circumstances being the thermometer of our joy, may we continually draw our greatest joy from the presence of the LORD's Holy Spirit who dwells in us. And do not be worried, for the joy of the LORD is your strength and your stronghold. (Nehemiah 8:10 AMP) He is the stability of our lives. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:11 NLT)

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” — Genesis 37:5, 9 (NKJV) I believe it was the power of Joseph’s dreams that helped him persevere through his problems. First, his brothers threw him in a pit, then sold him into slavery. But the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. (Genesis 39:2-3) Eventually Joseph found himself in prison, for doing the right thing. No matter what challenges he faced, I’m sure he lay awake at night remembering his dreams. Finally, he was placed in the palace and God put him in position to save His people from famine. In Genesis 41:41, Pharaoh set Joseph over al...

In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. — Psalm 34:6-7 (NLT) Let us persevere through problems with our praises and our prayers. The ear of the LORD is always open to the cry of His people. Call upon Him as your first course of action, not your last resort. “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34 MSG)

Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,  who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.  Delighted, they dance all day long; they know  who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet!  Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us—  you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air!  All we are and have we owe to God,  Holy God of Israel, our King! — Psalm 89:15-18 (MSG) Blessed be the LORD, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah (Psalm 68:19 (NKJV). Let us continually praise His name. In the words of Pastor Matthew Pollock, “Let your praise invade your problems!”  Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD. (Psalm 89:15 NLT).

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. — Psalm 29:11 (NIV) When we continually give our attention to problems, it produces anxiety, doubt and fear. It drains our energy and clouds our ability to think clearly. Let us focus on the LORD. As we keep our eyes on our mighty God and draw closer to Him, we maintain our peace. As we cast all our cares on Him and trust Him to provide the answer, we are able to draw strength from the LORD's limitless supply. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. — Psalm 42:5 (MSG) When we feel depressed and overwhelmed, we have taken our eyes off of God and His promises and fixed them on our problems. However, the LORD’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Psalm 147:11 NLT). Fix your eyes on God and He will lift you out of the pit of despair and set your feet on solid ground. The LORD is our helper. May your hope rest on His unfailing love.

Focus on the storm or the Shelter. So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” — Matthew 14:29-30 (NKJV) Are most of your thoughts centered on God’s Presence or your problems? When we give more time, energy and thought to the challenges we face, fear and doubt appear. Instead, we can focus on the Lord and doing whatever He has called us to do. When we stay centered on God and His mighty Presence at work in our lives, we rise above the circumstances of this life and remain in His peace. Then we are able to stand strong and walk in faith toward all that He has for us. When we elevate our thought life to the God realm, all things are possible!

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. — Psalm 29:11 (NIV) The greatest peace we will ever experience is the peace of living each moment fully engaged in the Presence of Almighty God, constantly aware that His Presence is with us. The Prince of Peace not only goes before us, He stands by our side and watches our backs. Jesus gave us His peace so that our hearts would not be troubled (John 14:27). When you open your heart to His Presence, you will be filled with His abundant peace. As we take our eyes off of our “problems” and stay centered on His everlasting Presence and focus on pursuing His purpose for our lives, we will abide in His perfect peace.

But my eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord; In You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute. — Psalm 141:8 (NKJV) Instead of examining your problems, fix your eyes upon the Sovereign LORD, and constantly look to Him for help. He is above ALL. Cry out to the LORD; plead for the LORD’s mercy. Pour out your complaints before him and tell him all your troubles. When you are overwhelmed, God alone knows the way you should turn (Psalm 142:1-3a NLT). He will show you the way you should walk. He will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint (Jeremiah 31:25 NIV).

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him..” — Psalm 91:15 (NAS) The Most High God promises to be with us in trouble. He is intimately involved in everything that concerns you. Let His Presence keep your inner being calm and in perfect peace, despite outer chaos. Instead of holdong onto your problems with such intense focus, embrace His Presence, and keep your eyes on the Lord. There is power in His Presence to break every bondage and stronghold. In His Presence, mountains melt like wax. In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Always be aware of His Presence. He is with you every moment of every day.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. — Psalm 43:5 (NIV) We get discouraged when we keep looking at the problems and challenges we face. May we fix our eyes on Jesus, the solution to all of our problems. He is the answer to every question. He holds the key to every closed door. Keep your hope in Him alive! Hope is the anchor of your soul. It will hold you firm and secure in God.

The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. — Psalms 97:5 (NKJV) Which do you think is greater, your problems or the Presence of God? Let's not be so focused on our problems. Instead, may we gain a greater awareness of God's presence in our lives. Let us surrender our hearts, minds and mouths to the power of His Holy Spirit within us. Nothing can stop us, with God on our side. Continually come before His presence with thanksgiving (Psalms 95:2). He will show us the path of life; In His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalms 16:11). What fuller lives we could live if we just learn to enjoy the Presence of Almighty God as we go about our day, regardless of the circumstances around us.

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD?” — Genesis 18:13-14 (NIV) Even though Sarah was well past her childbearing years, God made her womb fruitful to produce a son. The LORD shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was shut in a lion's den (Daniel 6:22). When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a blazing furnace, the LORD kept them from being burned and they didn't even smell like smoke (Daniel 3:27). Get in the habit of telling your problems, how BIG your God is. Nothing is too difficult for our great God!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 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 5:3-5 (NLT) Let us rejoice in spite of the things we suffer because the challenges we go through in this life teach us how to endure, they strengthen our character and produce hope. And our hope will not be disappointed because God loves us and He leads us to a triumphant victory. Love, Jackie