Manna for Your Morning

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.” — Romans 13:11-12 (NLT) “Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (Romans 13:13-14 NLT) “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” (Philippians 2:14-15 NLT) ...let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the bre...

“Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God’s bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, but God rises on you, his sunrise glory breaks over you. — Isaiah 60:1-2 (MSG) The Amplified Bible version says to “ Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the LORD] ” (Isaiah 60:1). No matter how dark the outside world becomes, your inside world can still shine with the glorious light of the LORD. Instead of letting the enemy lead you down the dark path of depression, doubt and defeat, live in the light of the Son. In Christ we have new life! As we bear the fruit of His Spirt, we allow the light in us to shine on the world around us. When we consistently exercise love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), those in darkness will be drawn into the marvelous light of the LO...

And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. — Revelation 12:17 (NLT) “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (Revelation 12:12 NKJV). Wake up! We are in a war. Lives are at stake. First Peter 5:8 (NLT) warns us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” But take heart, because Jesus has already overcome the enemy. We defeat him by the blood of the Lamb and by our testimony (Revelation 12:11a NLT). Let us continually speak God’s Word over our lives. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

“There is the sound of war in the camp.” — Exodus 32:17 (NIV) Wake up! We are in a war. Every day we are in the midst of a battle. In Revelation 12:17, the devil declared war with the woman and the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Let us be good soldiers. Good soldiers stay focused on the mission of the Commanding Officer. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:4). Good soldiers do not quit in the middle of the battle. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). Get your boots on the ground and stay engaged in the good fight of faith. The PRICE is the war that must be fought, but the PRIZE is the wedding to come (Revelation 21:1-4). March on good soldiers, with your eyes on the prize!

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.  — Psalm 57:7-8 (NLT) The righteous do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly (Psalm 112:6-8, NLT). With strong and confident hearts, we can awaken the dawn with songs of praise to our great God!