Manna for Your Morning

And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that Yahweh had left him. — Judges 16:20 (LSB) Samson did not realize that Yahweh had left him. What a sad situation. After being lulled to sleep with his head in the lap of Delilah, and having the seven locks of his hair shaved off, Delilah began to bring him down, and his strength left him. (See Judges 16:19) Today, we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling inside of us and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. In Matthew 28:20 (NKJV), Yeshua says: “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Intentionally set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD our God. Seek Him, and you will find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. (See Jeremiah 29:13 NASB1995) Don’t let the things of this world, distract you and draw you away from Yahweh. Remain alert and aware of Satan and his devices.

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” — Luke 8:22-24a (NLT) I believe Jesus was able to sleep in the middle of the storm because He trusted the Father, and He knew He had power and authority over the storm. When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”  (Luke 8:24b-25a) Let your faith be in Jesus, Immanuel (God with us). (Isaiah 7:14) Trust God and you too will have peace and calm in the middle of the storms. Be confident that you will sail through the storms and get to the destination God has promised to you.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. — Psalm 121:5-6 (NKJV) The One who keeps you will not slumber or sleep. He watches over you and stands beside you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even the darkness does not hide you from Him. (Psalm 139:12) The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121:7-8 NASB) Look up to the mountains— does your help come from there? Your help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! (Psalm 121:1-2) Look to the LORD, your Keeper. He is our help and our only hope. Amen.

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, — Psalm 92:1-2 (NKJV) It is good to give thanks and shout His praises, all day long! How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. (Psalm 36:7 NKJV) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. (Psalm 63:3) The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB) At the end of the day, when you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down in peace and your sleep will be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24 & Psalm 4:8) For He alone is faithful to watch over you and wake you up again.

Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. — Judges 16:19 (NLT) In Judges 16:20, Samson didn’t even realize the LORD had left him. As children of God we need to be awake and aware. If we allow the things of this world to lull us to sleep we will find ourselves in a spiritual stupor and we will be powerless when the enemy comes to bring us down. May we be completely devoted to God, treasure His Word (our sword) in our hearts and speak it out of our mouths. But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! (Romans 13:11-12 MSG) Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dres...

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. — Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV) Where do you turn in times of trouble? Let us call on the name of the LORD. Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth (Psalm 124:8). He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider and Jehovah Rophe, our healer. He is Jehovah Shammah, the God who is there. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. He is our strong tower and deliverer. Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! (Psalm 113:2)

The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. — Psalm 18:46 (NKJV) Our mighty God is alive and active. He does not sleep, nor slumber. Whatever concerns you, He has already taken care of it. Let us enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations (Psalm 100:4-5 AMP). Glory hallelujah!

  He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. — Psalm 121:3-4 (NKJV) The LORD is your keeper (Psalm 121:5). Even when you walk through the darkest valley, do not be afraid, because He is with you. Our awesome God is not asleep and He takes no vacation. He is always there when you need Him. Set the Lord continually before you; because He is at your right hand, you shall not be moved (Psalm 16:8).

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2 (NKJV) The LORD is our Helper. Take refuge under His wings. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber (Psalm 121:3). God never sleeps and He doesn’t take vacations. He watches over us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:7-8 NIV). Praise the LORD for His constant care!

As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. — Psalm 55:16-17 (NKJV) No matter what time we call out to the LORD, we can be confident that our voices will be heard. Our heavenly Father doesn’t sleep nor slumber and He never takes a vacation. The line to His throne room is always open. So cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). — Psalm 55:22 (AMP) Release the full weight of your burdens on the Lord. The Message Bible says: “Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders— he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.”

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”  And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” — Genesis 28:16-17 (NKJV) Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you (1 Corinthians 6:19)? And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). May we (the church and body of Christ) have a spiritual awakening and always be aware of His presence within us, and His mighty power which is at work in us to bring about the perfect will of God.

“I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” — Psalm 132:4-5 (NKJV) We make room in our lives for our favorite sports, T.V. shows, Starbuck runs, workouts, etc. Be sure to find a place for the LORD in your life. Make a home for Him in the chambers of your heart, where He will have preeminence, first place. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:30). Let us examine ourselves and see what or who has our hearts?

So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. — 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 (NLT) We are children of light. We belong to the day. Don't get caught off guard by the deeds of those who walk in the dark. Let us guard our hearts with the breastplate of faith and love, and shield our minds and thoughts with the helmet of our salvation.

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever,  — Psalm 146:5-6 (NKJV) Happy is the person who has learned to rely on the LORD for help. He or she can lay down and sleep in peace because they know their heavenly Father is always working for their good. And they realize that nothing is too difficult for God, the Maker of heaven and earth! He is a faithful Father who fulfills all His promises. Rejoice because He has already given us the victory and made us conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Corinthians 15:57) Don't worry, be happy!

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  — Psalm 121:3-4 (NKJV) Our heavenly Father is not asleep. He is with you in the storm and in the fire. Do all that you can do, and patiently and expectantly wait on the LORD. Our God is faithful. He will bring you through every challenge that comes your way. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, who loves us!

Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. — Judges 16:19 (NKJV) Samson allowed Delilah to lull him to sleep and when he awoke from his sleep, he did not even realize that the LORD had departed from him. Have you been lulled to sleep by the things of this world? It is time to ARISE! “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14).