A SAFE PLACE

September 12, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hands of mine enemies.–Psalm 31:15

Yesterday was the 9th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack and many were reminded of why they are living in fear. Here in Houston dozens of people called to report a large low-flying plane. The fear is still there. Multitudes are afraid that someone or something will take their life. Some worry about terrorist. Others worry about cancer, heart disease, etc. –anything that puts their life at risk. These folks need a new perspective!

Here’s something you might not have thought about. Adrian Rogers put it like this,”Every second we have of life is a gift from God. Has it ever occurred to you that for you to cease living, God would not have to take your life? All God would have to do is stop giving you life! “

He is right. Our life is in the hands of the great God who created and controls heaven and earth. His hands are omnipotent. You can’t get any safer than that! Enjoy the day!

JUST AS I AM

September 11, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

—–him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.–John 6:37

Physical ailments can really get us down. Sometimes the nicest people in the world can get as cranky as a she bear protecting her cubs–nobody wants to get anywhere near them. Such was the case with Charlotte Elliott. At the age of thirty her health began to fail and she was soon an invalid. It wasn’t long before her sweet disposition turned sour. With her body racked with pain living became a constant burden.

When a preacher visited Charlotte at her home one evening, she complained–“If God loved me, He would not have treated me this way”.

The wise preacher responded kindly, but with boldness, “You are tired of yourself, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“You are holding to your hate and anger because you have nothing else in the world to cling to”, he said. Then he proceeded to explain God’s grace through Jesus Christ, and told her she could come to Christ just as she was and be saved.

That struck a note. Charlotte was deeply impressed at the thought of coming to Christ just as she was, and she trusted Christ as her Savior later that evening.

Fourteen years later, on the anniversary of her new birth, she penned the words to the famous hymn,”Just As I Am”. She couldn’t forget the wonderful privilege of being able to come to Christ just as she was. So can you!

That was true then and it’s true now. It was true of Charlotte and it’s true for you. We need not, in fact we cannot make any changes that would make us acceptable to God. We come to Him as we are or not at all. Our only plea and our only hope is the shed blood of Christ, the Lamb of God. Will you come to Him right now–remember, you can come just as you are!

FORGET & REMEMBER

September 10, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

Many people fret and fuss wanting everyone to like them. Years ago I came across the following poem, by an unknown author, that would help us a lot if we just put it into practice:

“Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it. Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it. Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it. Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet. Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter. Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor. Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living. Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving. Remember good, remember truth, remember heaven is above you. And you will find, through age and youth, that many will love you.”

That’s good advice, but you need to know that God alone can enable us to do this. It is only as we yield ourself to His control that we can live as we should. You just can’t leave God out of the equation and be successful. Forget about trying to win the applause of others and seek only to please God. Forget about the things you think you deserve and remember that all you have is a result of God’s grace. We who deserve nothing have everything in Christ—let us not complain.

TOO FAST, TOO SOON

September 9, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.–1 Cor.13:11

Realizing that many readers of Morning Manna are the parents of small children, I couldn’t wait to share this article from the pen of Charles Swindoll. This is good advice!

Too good. That’s the only way to describe my early childhood. Lots of friends in the neighborhood. Sandlot football down at the end of Quince Street in East Houston or shooting hoops against the garage backboard. There were family reunions at my granddaddy’s little bay cabin, plus fishing, floundering, crabbing, swimming, and eating.

But best of all, we were given room to be kids. Just kids. Listen, I went to school barefoot until the fourth grade, and I was still playing cops and robbers into junior high. Scout’s honor. Nobody pushed me to grow up. Life was allowed to run its own course back then.

No longer, it seems. There is a new youngster in our city streets. Have you noticed? Perhaps I’m overly sensitive because I’ve finished reading David Elkind’s splendid book The Hurried Child, with the provocative subtitle “Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon.” On the cover is a little girl, not more than eleven, with earrings, plucked eyebrows, carefully applied cosmetics, teased and feathered hair, and exquisite jewelry.

Music, books, films, and television increasingly portray the young as precocious and seductive. “Such portrayals,” writes Elkind, “force children to think they should act grown up before they are ready.”

Emotions and feelings are the most complex and intricate part of a child’s development. They have their own timing and rhythm, which cannot be hurried. Growing up is tough enough with nobody pushing.

Am I overreacting to suggest that the unique traumas among today’s children are somehow tied to all this? Younger and younger alcoholics. Increased promiscuity among preteens. Higher crime rate than ever involving the very young. And the all-time high suicide rate among children and adolescents is certainly telling us something . . . if nothing else, at least for those kids, it’s telling us we’re reacting too late.

Scripture clearly states, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Eccles. 3:1). How about time to be a child? How about time to grow up slowly, carefully—yes, even protected, naive? Otherwise, it is too far, too fast, too soon.

Allow your children the joys of childhood.

STAND UP FOR JESUS

September 8, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”–Heb.11:24-26

Moses was born into a Hebrew family, but he had grown up with the Egyptian royal family. He had to make a choice. Was he going to embrace the Egyptian way of life, perhaps becoming a ruler one day? Or would he choose to identify with God’s people and perhaps live a life of slavery?

Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. When he could have had the riches of Egypt at his fingertips, Moses chose to seek the spiritual riches of Heaven by following God.

It’s not always easy or convenient to identify with Christ. You may be at work with coworkers who use ungodly language or tell inappropriate jokes. They will expect you to laugh or take part in their conversation and show that you agree with what they are saying. There will be a temptation to join in with them or to simply stay silent and not say anything. As adults, we face peer pressure just as our teenagers do!

Moses stood up against the blasphemers of his day and identified with Christ. He wasn’t so worried about being popular that he wasn’t willing to stand up for Christ. He realized that following Christ and obeying Him was far more important than being liked by a few people.

The Prussian king Frederick the Great was widely known as an agnostic. By contrast, General Von Zealand, one of his most trusted officers, was a devout Christian. Thus it was that during a festive gathering the king began making crude jokes about Christ until everyone was rocking with laughter—all but Von Zealand, that is.

Finally, Von Zealand arose and addressed the king: “Sire, you know I have not feared death. I have fought and won 38 battles for you. I am an old man; I shall soon have to go into the presence of One greater than you, the mighty God who saved me from my sin, the Lord Jesus Christ whom you are blaspheming. I salute you, sire, as an old man who loves his Savior, on the edge of eternity.” The place went silent, and with a trembling voice the king replied, “General Von Zealand—I beg your pardon! I beg your pardon!” And with that the party quietly ended.

General Von Zealand was not afraid to stand up to the king of Prussia in defense of his faith. Moses was not afraid to stand up to the Pharaoh of Egypt in defense of his faith. Elijah was not afraid to face the king of Israel and all the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Don’t you think if God gave each of these men courage and strength to stand, that He will give you strength as well?

Don’t be afraid to stand up for your faith. When others mock Christ, boldly identify with Christ, and take a stand for Him. Do not oppose others out of piety, but out of love for God. Ask the Lord for strength so that you may stand for Him when others ridicule Him. (Dr. Paul Chappell)

A SAFE PLACE

JUST AS I AM

FORGET & REMEMBER

TOO FAST, TOO SOON

STAND UP FOR JESUS

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