MORNING MANNA           4-10-24
SUFFERING THROUGH SUBMISSION

“For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” Acts 9:16

You would think that if anyone ought to be exempted from suffering it would have been the Apostle Paul, yet few have ever suffered so much. His suffering wasn’t caused by a spirit of rebellion, but as a result of submitting himself to God’s will. Are you ready for that? Are you willing to deny your personal desires to please your Master, even if it produces pain rather than pleasure? The following story told in “Senior Living” serves to illustrate the kind of attitude we need:

Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained.

The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainer forces the horses to go without water for many days. And when he turns them loose, they, of course, start running toward the water. But just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle.

These horses that have learned perfect obedience simply stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. And when the trainer is sure that he has their obedience, he gives them a signal to go back to drink.

Now many may say this is severe, but when you are on the trackless desert of Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have an obedient horse. In much the same way, we must accept God’s training and obey Him, even if that means we should suffer for His namesake. Obedience must come first in our lives.

So when you’re tempted to find the easy way out through disobedience to God, remember to obey. Trust that He knows what’s best for you and that even if it means suffering, He’ll care for your every need!—-Pray that God would give you the strength to obey Him even when it results in hardship.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA            4-9-24.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,” Luke 10:33

Ernest Gordon was a British soldier who had become a prisoner of war on the River Kwai. One day he and the other Englishmen came across a train full of wounded Japanese soldiers dying of neglect. Ernest and number of the other officers went to them and changed their bandages. They took water to them and washed them. One of the officers was very offended at this. “Don’t be fools,” he said to them, “these are our enemies.” Ernest Gordon asked if he had ever heard of the parable of the Good Samaritan, how a man had been beaten up and robbed and stripped, and a couple of religious men passed by on the other side ignoring him though he was the same race and religion as they were. Then a half-caste, a heretic, one of their enemies, a Samaritan man came and stopped. His heart was full of compassion and he knelt down and poured wine and oil on the man and clothed him with his own clothes and took him to an inn where he was cared for at the man’s expense until he was recovered. The officer heard the story and then protested, “Yes, but that’s the Bible. These swine are starving us and beating us. They’ve murdered our comrades. They’re our enemies.” Ernest said to him, “Who is my enemy? Isn’t he my neighbour? My enemy is my neighbour,” and back he went to helping these Japanese soldiers.

This parable is given to move us to action – to encourage us to love others as we love ourselves. Having been rescued from sin we ought to respond to the needs of those who know nothing of God’s saving grace. God help us to do all we can while we can. – HDS  

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church 

Humble, Tx

MORNING MANNA            4-8-24  
WHATSOEVER YE DO   

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Col.3:23

While it is obvious that there are some things we ought not to do, it is crystal clear that there are certain things we ought to do. And how we do them is of great importance. We are to do them “heartily, as to the Lord”.

Make no mistake about it, we all have duties assigned to us. How we do them matters to God. Rather than just going through the motions, we are to do what we do it “heartily,as to the Lord”, not half heartily. Motive matters to God. Therefore we ought to do our very best at whatever we do – whether it be at home, on the job, at school, at church, or in rending aid.Whether in word or deed we are to “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus”(vs.17), and for “the glory of God”( 1Cor.10:31). 

I have no idea what is on your schedule today, but I do know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you should do it with all your heart, as though you were doing it for Christ. Picture yourself receiving a personal request or command from Jesus in a face to face meeting with Him. How would you respond? I suspect we would all do better than what we do. Why then do we disobey this command?

My mother had it right when she repeatedly said, “Good, better, best. Never let them rest till your good is better and your better is your best!”. – HDS  

 
David Stone  

Lakeway Baptist Church  

Humble,Tx

MORNING MANNA            4-7-24

One with Christ Jesus

“”Because I live, ye shall live also.”- John 14:19

Jesus has made the life of believers in Him as certain as His own. As sure as the Head lives the members live also. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then are we dead in our sins; but since He has risen, all believers are risen in Him. His death has put away our transgressions and loosed the bonds which held us under the death sentence. His resurrection proves our justification: we are absolved, and mercy saith, “The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die.”

Jesus has made the life of His people as eternal as His own. How can they die as long as He lives, seeing they are one with Him? Because He dieth no more, and death hath no more dominion over Him, so they shall no more return to the graves of their old sins but shall live unto the Lord in newness of life. O believer, when, under great temptation, thou fearest that thou shalt one day fall by the hand of the enemy, let this reassure thee. Thou shalt never lose thy spiritual life, for it is hid with Christ in God. Thou dost not doubt the immortality of thy Lord; therefore, do not think that He will let thee die, since thou art one with Him. The argument for thy life is His life, and of that thou canst have no fear; wherefore rest in thy living Lord.– Faith’s Checkbook

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA          4-6-24 

 A WORD TO THE WEAK
“And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.”- Zechariah 10:12