Manna for Your Morning

After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said. — Luke 19:47-48 (NLT) In Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT), Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ In Mark 11:25-26 (NKJV), Jesus said: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” In Luke 11:28 (NKJV) He said, “...blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.  — Psalms 119:73 (NLT)

“This must be a magnificent Temple because our God is greater than all other gods.” — 2 Chronicles 2:5 (NLT) Solomon in all of his wisdom, knew that our God is greater than all other gods. Know for certain that He is above all of your circumstances, various conditions, doctor’s reports and financial affairs. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. (Psalms 33:8-11 NASB1995) After our mighty God delivered Daniel, servant of the living God, from a den of lions, Darius the king wrote: “To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the l...

Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul. — Psalm 54:4 (NASB) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears. (Psalm 18:6 NASB) When the righteous cry [for help], the LORD hears and rescues them from all their distress and troubles. (Psalm 34:17 AMP) Amen! & Hallelujah! ‘May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.’ — Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT)

And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy [fully understanding that He lives and that He is the Son of God]; and they were continually in the temple blessing and praising God. — Luke 24:52-53 (AMP) The Message Bible says the disciples were bursting with joy! If you need some joy, spend time with Jesus, our risen Savior. When we understand Who He is and realize that in Him, we already have the victory, our hearts will be filled with joy. Instead of letting adverse circumstances get you down, keep worshiping the Lord and know that He will bring you out on the other side. Everything we go through in this life is temporary and Jesus has already overcome the world. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy, for the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

But the Helper will teach you everything and will cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name. — John 14:26 (NCV) Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19) We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7 NCV) We ourselves are like fragile clay jars with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, in power and glory. What an awesome treasure! The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5 NKJV) The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Comforter, and Counselor. May we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our entire being, and let Him work in us and through us, to bring about the perfect will of the Father in our lives.

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:39 (NKJV) I think the often forgotten part of this Scripture, is that we are to love ourselves. We need to love ourselves, before we can understand how to love our neighbor. Not a pompous, puffed up, prideful love, but acknowledging that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB) God loves us and wants His Holy Spirit to work through us, to bring about His will on the earth. We are very valuable to Him. His only Son gave His life for us. Let us take care of our bodies, physically and spiritually; taking in the right nourishment, getting the proper amount of rest, exercising and renewing our minds with His Word. This brings glory to God and has a positive impact for His kingdom. If you really fulfill the royal law according ...

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, — 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NLT) We are God’s property and it’s all good! He is not an abusive Father. It is not in His heart to do us harm. What does He want to do with us? He wants to lavish us with His love and compassions. He wants us to draw near to Him, so He can be our refuge, a shelter of protection. He wants to catch our tears and make our broken hearts whole again. He desires to fill us with His perfect peace and abundant joy. He longs to share a deep intimate relationship with us for all eternity. Wow! What favor! Why do we turn away from our Creator? Sometimes it seems like the more God attempts to mend us, the more we work against Him or run away from Him. Could it be that we are like abused children who are so familiar with the abuse, they cannot believe that someone actually wants to show them kindness and do good for them?

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. — Ezekiel 43:5 (NKJV) No matter where we are in life, God desires to lift us up to a higher place in Him. He wants to draw us into a deeper realm of intimacy and peace, and to another level of strength, and tenacity. His Spirit will lead us into another dimension of His amazing love and bountiful joy. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart (Hebrews 10:22 NIV). One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple ( Psalm 27:4 NKJV ).

Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God.” — 1 Chronicles 29:1 (NKJV) Just as God chose Solomon, He chose you. He has a plan and purpose for your life. Consider everything God puts on your heart to do, a great work. Though others may enjoy the benefit of your labor, do your work unto the Lord and for His kingdom. You may feel inexperienced, but our heavenly Father always prepares us for each step. So be strong and of good courage, and do the great work God has called you to!

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.

‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ — 2 Chronicles 20:9 (NKJV) In the face of disaster, we will stand, in His presence. Our bodies are temples of His Holy Spirit, who is in us. We belong to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19). When we cry out to the LORD in any affliction or calamity, He will hear us and rescue us. He is the God of all comfort and His Spirit like a healing balm. Amen.

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, — Ezra 4:1-2 (NKJV) When the people of Judah and Benjamin refused to let their enemies "help" them build the temple of God, they tried to discourage them. They attempted to frustrate their purposes and then they sent accusations against them to the king. When we are in the process of doing something for God, we can expect our adversary to show up. We must stay alert and be of sober mind, because our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

“Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. — 2 Chronicles 29:5 (NKJV) During King Hezekiah's restoration project, he instructed the Levitical priests to clean out the holy place. First Peter 2:9 says, we are a a royal priesthood. We are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in us (1 Corinthians 3:16). So, let us take a survey of all that we have accumulated throughout the year and carry out any rubbish. Get rid of all debris: offense, unforgiveness, pride, rebellion, etc. These are things which will cause a root of bitterness to grow and defile our temples. Amen!

What you say goes—it always has. “Beauty” and “Holy” mark your palace rule, God, to the very end of time.  — Psalm 93:5 (The Message) Perfect in beauty, God shines forth! “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8) Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5). Gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple (Psalm 27:4).  Worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness! Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do (1 Peter 1:15). For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:4).

Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory. Ezekiel 10:4 (NKJV) Just as the glory of the LORD filled the temple in Jerusalem, He now dwells in us. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Open the door and be filled with His light and His love. Glow brightly with the glory of the LORD!