MORNING MANNA            3-18-24

NOTHING BETWEEN

“Be ye reconciled to God”. –  2 Corinthians 5:20

Is there any thing but love between God and your souls? There ought not to be. God hates nothing but sin. He is offended with nothing but sin. This we profess to hate and forsake. We were once enemies, but Jesus died to reconcile us to God.

We are now professedly friends, but do we act towards God, and speak of God, as though we were His friends? Are we offended at any thing in God, or at any thing done by God? Why should we be? His nature is love. His ways are all infinitely wise. His tender mercy is over all His works.

He desires that we should be on the best terms with Him. How wonderful! He offers a pardon for all our sins, grace to sanctify our natures, and heaven to receive our souls! He beseeches us to be reconciled. As though His tender love could not rest, as though He could not be happy, or content, unless we are friends with Him.

Beloved, are you living or walking at a distance from God? Is there any shyness between God and your soul? God beseeches you by me, and I pray you in Christ’s stead, “Be ye reconciled to God.”–James Smith, 1840

Sprinkled now with blood the throne,
Why beneath thy burdens groan?
See the curse on Jesus laid;
Justice owns the ransom paid:
Bow the knee and kiss the Son.
COME AND WELCOME , SINNER, COME!

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

MORNING MANNA              3-17-24  

 GOD CARES   

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:5–7

In his book 101 More Hymn Stories, Kenneth Osbeck describes the birth of the hymn “God Will Take Care of You”: “The Reverend W. Stillman Martin, a well-known Baptist evangelist, was invited to preach at a church some distance from the Bible school. That Sunday morning, Mrs. Martin became suddenly ill, making it impossible for her to accompany her husband to his speaking engagement. Mr. Martin seriously considered canceling his speaking assignment, since it would be needful for him to be gone from her for a considerable time. Just then, however, their young son spoke up and said, ‘Father, don’t you think that if God wants you to preach today, He will take care of Mother while you are away?’”

Martin kept his speaking engagement, and that afternoon, feeling much better, his wife Civilla wrote the words to a poem praising God’s love and care for His children. When he returned home, Martin sat down at their organ and worked out the music to go with it, and before they went to bed that evening, the hymn was complete. Later that year it appeared in print for the first time, and for more than one hundred years it has been encouraging God’s people. 

There are often times when people feel sympathy for a hardship or trial, but are unable to do anything to help. That never happens to God! He has the resources to meet every need, and while He does not promise to take away every pain, He never leaves us to bear our burdens alone. 

God’s love and concern for you will never falter, and He will always care for your needs. ( copied) 

   

David Stone   

Lakeway  Baptist Church   

Humble,Tx

MORNING MANNA           3-16-24

DON’T FORGET

“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”2 Peter 1:9

It has been said that “truth is stranger than fiction”. That seems true when I think about a story told by M.R. De Haan several years ago. It had to do with  a young husband who forgot that he was married. “According to the newspaper account, the day after the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon, the husband was 3 hours late getting home from the office. Dinner was burned–and his bride was burning mad. He had absentmindedly gone to his mother’s house! 

That’s a funny story. But when people who belong to the Savior suffer from a similar memory problem, it’s not very humorous. The apostle Peter reminded those of us who have entered into a relationship with Jesus that we are not what we used to be. As God’s people, we should always keep in mind that we have been cleansed from our old sins and that we have a new purpose in life.

We who are united to Christ need to remind ourselves continually that we belong to Him, and we are to choose to live for His glory. By studying the Scriptures, communing with the Father, and fellowshiping with His children, we can avoid the spiritual identity crisis of forgetting who we are.

Believer, you have been spiritually reborn into God’s family. Failing to remember this will result in something far more serious than a burned dinner!”

As Christians it behooves us to focus on who we are and what we have in Christ. Think about where you would be without Him and where you are because of Him!- HDS

David Stone  

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble,Tx

MORNING MANNA            3-15-24

GOD’S STANDARD

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” Mark 12:41-44

When it comes to measuring our lives and our work, God does not judge us the way people do. He is not impressed with the things the world values. There is no amount of fame that can impress the God whose glory fills the universe. There is no amount of money that can impress the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The Bible says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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).

God measures what is in our hearts. While we can often conceal our thoughts and motives from others for a period of time, God always knows why we are doing what we do. Our motives are far more important to Him than the outward appearance of our actions. Things that seem minor to others may be some of the most important and lasting things that we do for God. The good news is that He never overlooks our service to Him, and He will see to it that we receive the recompense according to our hearts.Focus your life on the things that matter to God, and one day you will hear Him say, “Well done.” (Daily in the Word)

She did what she could, what she should, all she could, while she could! We should do the same. – HDS

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble, Tx

MORNING MANNA           3-14-24

THE COMMODITY OF TIME

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”-Eph.5:16

The older we get the more aware we become that our time on earth is swiftly passing. John Jowett addressed the subject well many years ago when he wrote:

“The disciple of Christ is to be an expert merchant in the commodity of time. He is to be always engaged in “buying up opportunity.” He is to allow no one to be the peer of the Master’s servant. His vigilance must never sleep, and he must never be away from the market. Every moment must be bought up for the King, and used in the service of His Kingdom.

 

And therefore the disciple will be busy buying in seasons both sad and joyful. He will not allow the evil one to buy any of the brighter seasons for his own infernal purpose. Seasons of merriment will be purchased for the Lord; bright moments of wit and humour will be gained for Him. This will never mean that merriment will lose its sparkle; it will really mean that sunlight will be added to common daylight, because the merriment will shine with the very lustre and purity of the love of Christ. All wit will be perfectly clean and therefore translucent, containing nothing which darkens or defiles. Gaiety will become the most intimate friend of sanctity and will be the possession of the Lord.

And the watchful merchant will also buy up the darker seasons for his Lord. He will not allow his moments of disappointment, or sickness, or adversity, to be owned and used by the devil. He will rather claim that the black seasons may be used for the home of Christ, and he will accordingly bring them and offer them to His service. A dark house, with the Lord in it, becomes a temple of ineffable fellowship.

But in all these purchasings everything goes to the early buyer. To be first in the market must be our constant aim. Let us regard every moment as precious treasure, and before the enemy of our souls can lay his hand upon it let us be up and buy it for the Lord.”  

David Stone  

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble,Tx.