Manna for Your Morning

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. — Psalm 118:22-23 (NKJV) For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” — 1 Peter 2:6 (NASB) Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. (Isaiah 28:16 NLT) May we believe and build our lives on Jesus. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5 NKJV) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy p...

“For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, the fountain of living water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” — Jeremiah 2:13  (AMP) When we try to do things our own way, apart from God, we are utilizing a broken cistern that cannot hold water. The result will be futile and empty. Let us receive the Living Water from our heavenly Father. Water brings life to things and causes them to grow. It washes and it cleanses. Open your heart and receive the living water of God. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38 NKJV) “ If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. ” (John 4:10  NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; — 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) We may be rejected by man, but we are chosen and cherished by God. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes (Ephesians 1:4 NLT). He chose us out of the world, brought us out of the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of His marvelous light. You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (1 Peter 2:9-10 MSG) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy ...

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. — Hebrews 12:3 (NKJV) Consider Jesus. He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; (Isaiah 53:3 AMP). He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth [to complain or defend Himself]; (Isaiah 53:7 AMP). Just take a moment and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself. Hebrews 12:3 (AMP) says, “…consider it all in comparison with your trials, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plo...

…fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. — 1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NIV) Avoid shipwreck by letting the light of the Lord be the guiding force in your life. Hold onto faith by  daily renewing your mind with the Word of God and keep a good conscience by actually doing what His Word says. As we fix our eyes upon the Lord, He will guide us to our desired destination.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” — John 6:37 (NKJV) Most of us know the pain of rejection. Even Jesus was despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3). Rejection often leads to feelings of being unwanted and thoughts of not being good enough. It sometimes creates a pretense that we don’t need anyone. Thank God that our past experiences with flawed humanity, is not the end of the story! Jesus, the good Shepherd, calls us to COME to Him. Jesus says He will never cast out those who come to Him. In the Amplified version, He says, “I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me.” He holds on and doesn’t let go. No matter who you are and no matter what you have done, Jesus loves you and wants you close to Him. He will comfort you in all affliction.

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” — Genesis 28:11-16 (NIV) May we always be fully aware of the presence of the LORD, our God. In His presence, the rejected are accepted, chosen and cherished. He turns our mourning into dancing. He puts off sackcloth and clothes us with gladness (Psalm 30:11). In His presence, darkness and fear are exchanged for light and love. He hides us in the secret place of His presence from the plots of man (Psalm 31:20 NKJV). Whatever challenges you face today, remember, the LORD is in that place with you. And with Him, we receive the power and strength to live a victorious life.

All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]. — John 6:37 (AMP) We may have been abandoned and rejected by a person, but Jesus says He will never reject those who come to Him. We can be assured of finding acceptance in the arms of Jesus. He wants us to come, just as we are. And as long as you keep coming to Him, He will keep holding on to you!

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” — Mark 15:34 (NKJV) As Jesus bore our sins on the cross, He experienced separation from God. That was the most agonizing, gut-wrenching moment of all. More than the pain of having nails hammered into His hands and feet. More than the beating which ripped the flesh off His back and left Him unrecognizable as a human being. It was not being mocked and rejected by men. It was being separated from His Father that made Him cry out. He suffered all of this, to reconcile us back into fellowship with the heavenly Father. What a privilege we have, to fellowship with our heavenly Father, to have access to Him, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Pursue His Presence today. Live in it every moment of every day!

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. — Romans 12:1 (The Message) God gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. The Son of Man suffered many things and was rejected and killed. But on the third day He was raised to life (Luke 9:22). Let us embrace all that Jesus died to give us, FREEDOM from sin and bondage, VICTORY over death, and abundant & everlasting LIFE!