Manna for Your Morning

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. — Hebrews 4:14-15 (MSG) Once we have opened the door of our heart to Jesus, we gain 24-hour access to enter His Presence. We can humbly approach the throne room of God and meet with our Savior, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What an honor! May we cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior (Hebrews 4:14 AMP) Worship and adore Him. In His presence, we are enveloped in His peace, and we obtain His protection and provision. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming j...

How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run under your wings, to eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water. You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light. — Psalm 36:7-9 (MSG) Run, don't walk. Be eager to take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Our heavenly Father feeds us from the abundance of His house. In the shadow of His wings, we have His protection and His provision. As we abide with Him, He opens our eyes to see the light of His magnificent love. He reveals the light of truth. Abba Father keeps us in His perfect peace, in the midst of the storms, and we find strength to persevere. Run under His Wings.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB) Our security is not found in our possessions, but in His Presence. The richest resource we have is the presence of Almighty God dwelling in us. For in Him we live and move and have our being… (Acts 17:28 NKJV). In His Presence, we have fullness of joy, everlasting peace and a wealth of wisdom. Treasure His Presence above all else. In His Presence is protection and provision of all that we need. Any investment into His kingdom is one that will pay back full dividends.

The one thing I ask of the LORD— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. — Psalm 27:4-5 (NLT) Our heavenly Father is not a dead beat dad. He is alive. He is willing and He is able to handle all of your concerns. He is the ultimate source of all we need, want and desire. While others may cast you aside, the LORD adopts you as His child. Psalm 27:10 (MSG) says, “ My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in. ” Don’t despair when people mistreat you. Abide in peace, because we have God’s protection, His provision and most important of all, His Presence. Circumstances may not always be perfect, but our heavenly Father is, and He has a good plan for your life, to give you a future and a hope. I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness ...

Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.” — Ezekiel 3:10 (NKJV) Receive the Word and let it sink deep into your heart. The quality of our lives and those around us depends on how we receive the Word of God and how well we listen to it. Listen carefully to what God speaks to you. Our heavenly Father speaks words of life, love, and peace. His Word is packed with promises of protection, provision, and victory. He speaks of the purpose and plans He has for our lives. He speaks of strength, stability, and success. When we trust Him, His Word will bring about transformation and restoration. His words are healing and inspire hope. Let us not be like the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19 NASB...

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”  But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” — Luke 5:1-4-5 (NKJV) Maybe you have been working hard, day and night with nothing to show for it. Rest assured that when the Lord calls you to launch out in the deep and you follow His word and His timing, He will bring about the increase. When Simon did what Jesus told him to do, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:6-7). Our heavenly Father is not just about provision, but overflow, more than enough. When we are obedient to His Word He will open the windows of heaven and pour out for us such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive ...

Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence. — Psalm 140:13 (NLT) In Genesis 3:8, Adam and Eve heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. And Jonah tried to flee from the presence of the LORD (Jonah 1:3). The biggest mistake and most futile effort we could ever make is to try to hide or flee from the Presence of our great God. Without God’s help we are destined for failure. As children of God, we can praise His name because we have the most amazing opportunity and privilege to live in His precious Presence. In the shelter of the Most High there is protection and provision, and He lavishes His love upon us. In His Presence, His mighty power enables us to overcome the forces of evil and live in freedom and victory. In His Presence, we have a peace that cannot be moved by earthly circumstances. He fills us with joy in His presence. (Acts 2:2...

Then the LORD said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” — 1 Kings 17:2-4 (NLT)  Elijah did as the LORD told him (1 Kings 17:5) and the ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook (1 Kings 17:6). In the midst of a drought, God took care of His faithful servant. Never doubt God’s ability to provide for you. When we follow our heavenly Father, He will always lead us to the place of His provision. The world around us may experience a drought but God takes care of His people.

“As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” — 2 Samuel 9:11b (NKJV) When King David was looking for one of Saul’s descendants to show the kindness of God to, Mephibosheth was hiding out in Lo Debar. After King David brought him to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth ate continually at the king’s table, like one of his sons. Are you trying to hide from the LORD? You are the son or daughter of the King. He continually knocks on the door of our hearts. He wants to come in and dine with us, that means close fellowship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What an honor and privilege!  That also means provision. The food He gives will sustain and nourish you. Come hungry and eat at His table today. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said. Then the LORD’s anger blazed against them… — Numbers 11:1 (NLT) The Israelites said, “ We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes! ” (Numbers 11:5-6 NKJV). They despised the provision of the LORD and glorified what they ate while they were slaves. Sometimes we can get so focused on the small insignificant things, that we miss the big thing God is doing. The big thing is that they were free. May we always remember the good the LORD is doing, and has done in our lives. Instead of complaining about what we don’t have, let us lift our hands to praise God for all that He has provided. May we use the breath of life that He has put in our lungs to thank God that in spite of the hardships we face, He still reigns!

When the Israelites saw it, they said one to another, Manna [What is it?]. For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. — Exodus 16:15 (AMP) Manna was bread from heaven which the LORD provided for the children of Israel to eat, for forty years. However, when it first came, they didn't recognize it. Sometimes God’s provision for us doesn’t come the way we thought it would or it doesn’t look the way we thought it should. At those times we must fully trust the LORD, and know that He has a master plan for our lives and it's a plan for good and not for harm. Let’s stand in faith, and be thankful for all of God’s provision.

When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob .— Genesis 21:15-16 (NIV) After Abraham sent Hagar and her son away, she wandered in the wilderness and ran out of water. At this point Hagar lost all hope and was sure her son would die, but the angel of God calmed her fears and told her Ishmael would not only live but that God would make him a great nation. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. Sometimes, difficult situations can cloud our eyes of faith and we lose heart, but may we always remember, even though it may seem like we are wandering in the wilderness, we belong to a faithful God of hope, comfort and provision.

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. — 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV) The word vain means to produce no result or to have no meaning. Let us not take the goodness of God for granted. In Him, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Pastor Matt Pollock has described grace as having everything you need, when you need it. God’s provision is not for us to just sit back and grow spiritually fat. His grace has a higher purpose. He equips us that we might fulfill the call of God in our lives. Having received God’s grace, let us engage in an active pursuit of completing the mission we have received from God and focus on fulfilling His purpose in our lives. Amen!

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. — Isaiah 26: 3 (AMP) As we keep our minds on the LORD, we will experience a continual flow of perfect peace. Let's fill our minds with thoughts of Him. Our God is mighty and strong and over all the universe. Our God, Jehovah Jireh, foresees all our needs and makes provision for us. He heals and restores us, spirit, soul and body. He delivers and saves and gives us the victory! Our God, Jehovah Shalom, is our peace. Keep your mind stayed on Him. And remember, no matter what you are going through today, this too shall pass.

Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. — Psalm 51:11 (NKJV) Of all the wonderful blessings our heavenly Father gives, of all the good and perfect gifts that come from above, I am most thankful for His Presence in my life. With His Presence, we have purpose, protection and provision. His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, is our source of strength, peace and power. “When we don’t have the Holy Spirit, what we have is a distressing spirit,” (Pastor Matthew Pollock). Let’s keep God at the center of all that we do and say, today and always.