Manna for Your Morning

“ I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. ” — Psalms 17:6-7 (NLT) Give ear, O Yahweh, to my prayer; And give heed to the voice of my supplications! In the day of my distress I shall call upon You, for You will answer me. (Psalms 86:6-7 LSB) For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth. (Psalms 108:4-5 NLT) “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” (Psalms 63:3-5 NLT)

Let us test and examine our ways, and let us return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands [in prayer] toward God in heaven; — Lamentations 3:40-41 (AMP) We tend to examine the lives of others and give unsolicited commentary. However, the Word of God tells us to examine ourselves. Second Corinthians 13:5 (AMP) says: Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! “Now your souls will be strengthened and healed if you hold steadfast to your faith…” (See 2 Corinthians 13:5 TPT) For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel has said this, “In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confident trust is your strength.” But you were not willing, (Isaiah 30:15 AMP). Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to Yahweh, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7 LSB)  ...

““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB Our thoughts are like the railroad tracks and our ways are like the train. Our thoughts will lay the path for the actions we take. Continually renew your mind with the Word of God. And elevate your thoughts. For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he... — Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)

“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. ”— Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB) Trust God and let Him lead you and guide you through this day, by His Holy Spirit. Instead of doing things the way you always do them, ask our heavenly Father to show you His way. He has already gone before you and His way is always the best way. The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8 NLT) So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!” (Psalm 32:9 TPT)

I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. — Psalm 130:5 (NLT) “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV) In Isaiah 55:11 (AMP), the LORD goes on to say, “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” He may not do it the way we think it needs to be done. He may not do it when we think it should be done. But rest assured you can count on Him and put your hope in His Word. His word will be fulfilled in your life at the appointed time and it will be great and glorious.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death — Proverbs 16:25 (NLT)  There are many ways that “seem” right, in this world, however, there is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the LORD. (Proverbs 21:30 AMP) Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established. (Proverbs 16:3 NASB) Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] will be rewarded. (Proverbs 13:13 AMP)

…for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’  — Acts 17:28 (NKJV) As God sustains us with His breath in our lungs, let us seek to live and move in Him. As we live in the LORD, we will experience the fullness of all He has for us, His peace, joy and love. We will think the way He thinks and our ways will become more like His ways. As we live and move in God, His wonderful plan for our lives unfold and we fulfill our purpose and reach our glorious destiny.

Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. — 1 John 5:4-5 (MSG) The one who knows Jesus overcomes because, He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Those who believe know that our God is bigger than any giant Goliath that dares stand in our way. Believers know that our great God is bigger than the IRS, He is bigger than the doctor's report. His power goes beyond what we can see with our natural eyes. The one who believes knows that we have already won the victory. Only believe!

Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” — Micah 4:2 (NKJV) Notice the Word says to walk “IN” His paths: it does not say “ON” His paths, which indicates a more superficial walk. When you are on something, its easy to jump off, or fall off. However, when you are in something, you have invested your all. As we walk with the Lord, we are to be sold out, —all IN! May we learn His ways and walk in His paths. For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever (Micah 4:5).

I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. — Psalm 85:8-9 (NLT) The voice of the LORD speaks peace. God will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You (Isaiah 26:3, AMP). Our land is filled with His glory as we follow His ways of peace and grace, and allow His light to shine through us!

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. — Psalm 37:5 (NKJV) Commit everything you do to the LORD. And make a decision to follow His ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). After you commit it to the LORD, trust Him to do what needs to be done to bring it to fruition in your life. He will ensure that you are equipped with everything you need at the appointed time and open doors that no man can shut. We can make our plans, but the LORD establishes our steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Young lions on the prowl get hungry, but God-seekers are full of God. — Psalm 34:10 (MSG) Those who seek the LORD and His will, with all their heart, find Him and walk in His ways. They shall not lack any good thing. No matter how many troubles you face, the LORD comes to the rescue each time (Psalm 34:19, NLT). Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him (Psalm 34:8, MSG).

But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:15 (NLT) Every day we make all kinds of choices: what to wear?, what to eat?, etc. But the most important choice we make daily is whether to walk with God, or go along with the ways of the world. Choose wisely. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s table and at the table of demons, too (1 Corinthians 10:21). Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). Choose today whom you will serve.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  — Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12). Let us not think that we have figured out a better way to do life than our heavenly Father. God's way is tested and true and He only wants the best for you. Let us submit to His ways and align our thoughts with His thoughts. They lead to abundant life and good success.

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left;  Remove your foot from evil.  — Proverbs 4:26-27 (NKJV) Let us give careful thought to the way we choose to go. Don't let your attention be captivated by the sideshows and refuse to take any detours off the path of life, which the LORD shows us. Proverbs 4:18 says, the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. Follow the light of the LORD!

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  — Psalm 145:17-18 (NIV) While we may not always understand the circumstances that God allows to come our way, we can be assured that the LORD our God is righteous and just in all the works which He does. As He says in Isaiah 55:9 “My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” God is also forever faithful. He will never leave us or forsake us. No matter what comes our way, our heavenly Father, will be with us and He will see us through it all. Amen!

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.  — Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (NIV) The LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. A God you can depend upon, without exception. He is the only One worthy of all your praise. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages] (Isaiah 26:4, AMP).

God be merciful and gracious to us and bless us and cause His face to shine upon us and among us—Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!— That Your way may be known upon earth, Your saving power (Your deliverances and Your salvation) among all nations.  — Psalm 67:1-2 (AMP) God is merciful and full of grace. We are blessed because we woke up this morning and our heavenly showered us with new mercies and compassions. His face continually smiles on us with favor. May we make His ways known upon the earth by letting His light and love brightly shine through us.

Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”  — John 11:43-44 (NIV) Are you still wrapped up in worldly ways? Lay aside the ways of this world. God's ways are higher. Offer yourselves to God as people who have come back from death and are now alive (Romans 6:13). As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:12-14).

“ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,  So are My ways higher than your ways,  And My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV) Do not be wise in your own eyes. Trust the LORD with all your heart, instead of relying on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). We see in part, but God sees the whole picture. And He is working everything together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28). As long as we follow the LORD, we are on the right path, the higher way. He will give us good thoughts that are loving, forgiving and praiseworthy. His higher ways lead to everlasting peace, good health and abundant life.