Manna for Your Morning

“…because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the LORD. — 2 Kings 22:19 (NKJV) May we be like King Josiah, and have a tender heart, and humble ourselves before the LORD. The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5). It is more difficult for God’s love to permeate a hard heart, full of bitterness and unforgiveness, than a soft pliable one. God’s love is continually being poured out and with His love, comes His power and His peace. When our hearts are tender, we are able to receive His love, and freely share it with others. And His power can work in us and through us in a mighty way to change lives forever. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, cas...

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. — Romans 2:29 (NLT) When we open our hearts to Jesus, we need to lay on His surgery table and let Him cut away anything that is not of Him. While the cutting may involve some pain, it is pain with a glorious purpose. Let Him cut away the areas of your heart that have grown cold and hard, areas infested with unforgiveness, bitterness, and hatred. If we stay on the table of His grace and mercy, He will cut away pride, and give us a humble and grateful heart, that seeks praise from God and Him alone. A circumcised heart will allow the Holy Spirit to produce this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23 N...

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. — Luke 24:1 (NIV) The women prepared spices and fragrant oils for the body of Christ. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we, the church, are His bride. Every bride prepares herself for her groom. Are you preparing your heart, as a home for Jesus? Open the door of your heart and let His grace and mercy flood every room. Continual housecleaning is needed, to make sure it does not become cluttered with unforgiveness and bitterness. Toss out the rubbish of offense and envy. Let Christ occupy every area. Allow Him to fill the chambers of your heart with His love and His light, until it overflows and radiates out of the windows and onto those around you. When He resides in your heart, joy and peace fill the atmosphere, and compassion and kindness adorn the walls. Make your heart, a pleasant place for Christ to reside. Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and conti...

Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. — 2 Chronicles 29:31 (NKJV) God’s people were told to come near after the priests brought out all the debris they found in the temple of the LORD (2 Chronicles 29:16). Let us remove from our hearts (His temple), anything that doesn’t belong. Any unforgiveness, any offense, rebellion or pride. Consider it rubbish. Be of a willing heart to let it go and come near to the living God. No matter where you're at today, the LORD is saying, “Come closer!”

“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!