MORNING MANNA          2-8-24  

HUMBLE YOURSELVES

  “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.“-James 4:10

The Higher the Bamboo Grows, the Lower It Bends

A government official who came into President Lincoln’s office was startled to find the chief executive shining his shoes. “Sir,” he gasped, “surely you do not polish your own shoes!” “Of course,” replied the humble President. “Whose do you polish?” The greatness of a man is evidenced by his humility. In the words of an old Filipino saying, “The higher the bamboo grows, the lower it bends.”

All of this is illustrated in the life of Jesus. “Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt.20:28). The highest title God ever allows in His church is “servant.” Am I willing to serve people as Jesus did? I know, I cannot die for people to save them as Jesus did, but I can “die to self” to enable me to tell people that Jesus died for their sins, and thus serve them in the greatest way possible.

When I humble myself, then God will give me the grace to grow into maturity where, I like the tall bamboo, can lower myself to serve those of “low esteem.”

The branch that bears the most fruit bows lowest to the ground while the branch with little or no fruit stands most upright. So it is with humility and conceit. Humility carries with it the weight of wisdom while conceit has the lightheadedness of pride.(Source unknown)

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble,Tx.

MORNING MANNA            2-7-24 

ALL THE MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE   

In all this we are reminded that regardless of how hard and hopeless things might seem at the moment the best is yet to come. Remind yourself of that each day and and it will put sunshine in your soul and a song in your heart.- HDS

PRAYER PROMPTER: Prayer is not a last extremity—it’s a first necessity.

David Stone  

Lakeway Baptist Church  

Humble,Tx.

MORNING MANNA           2-6-24   
 FED BY FAITH   

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”- Matt.21:22

 George Müller (1805-1898) was a Christian missionary evangelist and a coordinator of orphanages in Bristol, England. Through his faith and prayers (and without asking for money) he had the privilege of caring for over 120,000 orphan children. He also traveled over 200,000 miles (by ship) to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 42 countries and to challenge believers about world missions and trusting God. In his journals, Müller recorded miracle-after-miracle of God’s provision and answered prayer:

One morning, all the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder and no money to buy food. The children were standing, waiting for their morning meal, when Müller said, “Children, you know we must be in time for school.” Then lifting up his hands he prayed, “Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat.” There was a knock at the door. The baker stood there, and said, “Mr. Müller, I couldn’t sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn’t have bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it.” Mr. Müller thanked the baker, and no sooner had he left, when there was a second knock at the door. It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage, and he would like to give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it.  

I pray that this example of faith in God’s faithfulness will encourage you as you face the challenges of a new day.- HDS

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble,Tx

MORNING MANNA            2-5-24

HEIRS OF GOD

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”- Rom.8:17

This is the especial blessedness of being a child of God– that death, which puts a final extinguisher on all the hopes and happiness of all the unregenerate, gives him the fulfillment of all his hopes and the consummation of all his happiness; for it places him in possession of “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for those who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”

In this present earthly life, we have sometimes sips and tastes of sonship, feeble indeed and interrupted, so that it is with us as Mr. Deer speaks– “Though you here receive but little, scarce enough for the proof of your proper title;” yet are they so far pledges of an inheritance to come. But this life is only an introduction to a better. In this life we are but children, heirs indeed, but heirs in their minority; but in the life to come, if indeed we are what we profess to be, sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, we shall be put into full possession of the eternal inheritance.

And what is this? Nothing less than God himself. “Heirs of God,” says the Apostle. For as the Lord said to Abraham, “I am your shield and exceeding great reward;” as he said to the Levites, “I am their inheritance,” so God himself is the inheritance of his people; yes, he himself in all his glorious perfections. All the love of God, the goodness of God, the holiness of God, all his happiness, bliss, and blessedness, all his might, majesty, and glory, as shining forth in the Person of his dear Son in all the blaze of one eternal, unclouded day—this is the saint’s inheritance. Let us not then be weary in well-doing; nor faint and tire in running the race set before us, with this prize in view; but press on by faith and prayer to win this eternal and glorious crown.–J. C. Philpot

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

MORNING MANNA            2-4-24  

 GUARD YOUR HEART

  “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”- Prov. 4:23“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:…” Prov.23:7

We guard things because they are important or valuable, and it is a serious matter.   I read the story of a young soldier who had been placed on guard duty at a military post. He was on sentry duty at the main gate of a military outpost. His orders were clear: No car was to enter unless it had a special sticker on the windshield. A big Army car came up to the gate with a general seated in the back seat and a young driver seated in the front. The sentry said, “Halt, who goes there?”

The chauffeur, a corporal, said, “General Wheeler, let us pass.”

The young guard replied, “Sorry, I can’t let you through. You’ve got to have a sticker on the windshield and you don’t have it.”

The general said to the young driver, “Drive on, son, pay this man no attention.”

The sentry said, “Hold it. You really can’t come through. I have orders to shoot anyone and everyone who tries to enter this base without the proper sticker on the windshield, and you don’t have it!”

The general repeated to the driver, “I’m telling you, son, drive on.”

The sentry walked up to the rear window, laid rifle barrel on the door, pointed his rifle in the car at the general and asked, “General, I’m new at this: who do I shoot first, you or the driver?”

We laugh, but give him credit. He was serious about his duty. Even so, we should be serious when it comes to what we allow what enters our heart. Being derelict in our duty can lead to disaster, and if we fail to protect our heart we’ll get hurt. – HDS

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church    

Humble, Tx.